What to Do if You Are Abused During Pregnancy
How to Prepare a Safety Plan in the Event of an Emergency
Nov 2, 2009
Sometimes one of the biggest dangers in an abusive relationship comes from the woman's own sense of denial that anything truly bad could ever happen. The harsh reality is that women are abused more often during pregnancy than at other times of life.
If you are pregnant and you suspect that you are experiencing domestic violence, making emergency preparations so that you can take action quickly is vital to keeping both you and your baby safe.
Why Safety Plans Are Important if You Are Abused During Pregnancy
An important first step in an emergency if you are abused during pregnancy is to prepare a safety plan. A safety plan is helpful for a variety pf reasons. One reason for a safety plan is to help you know exactly how to handle a situation when you no longer feel safe.
Another reason for a safety plan is that you often do not have time to get all of your things together, make phone calls and act quickly when you feel threatened. Not to mention that during a crisis, you may not be able to think rationally in order to know exactly what to do to get to a safe place.
What to Include in Your Emergency Safety Plan
Here are important components to include in your safety plan in the event of an emergency:
- Identify a trusted friend or relative, preferably one who lives nearby. Tell them about the abuse in your relationship and that you may need to be calling them for help.
- Call one of the domestic violence hot lines available in your area for finding help if your friend or relative is not available when you need to leave quickly.
- Consider packing a small bag with a few essentials like a toothbrush and change of clothing and finding a safe place to store it.
- Make an extra set of all of your house and car keys.
- Become familiar with the local bus routes, train stations or subway stops nearest you.
- Include in your safety plan a code word or phrase to use when you need to alert your friend that you need help and your abuser is present.
- Keep copies of important documentation in a safe place in case you need to leave quickly. These can include protective orders, birth certificate, driver's license, credit cards and cash.
- Find an escape route from each room of your house in your safety plan and know which doors lock in your home.
- If you have any children, be sure they know and are familiar with your safety plan.
If you are not sure that you are being abused during your pregnancy, please take a moment to review several markers for signs of an abusive relationship.
Getting help for yourself is crucial if you are experiencing abuse during pregnancy. If you suspect you are a victim of domestic violence, start preparing your safety plan today so that you know what to do in the event of emergency.
References:
Safehorizon.org
London Abused Women's Centre
www.domesticviolence.org
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