A detailed safety plan is important and is available by contacting the HRPS Domestic Violence Safety Coordinator. 

Contact the Halton Regional Police Service or shelter if you have any immediate concerns:

At Home:

• Leave the home or call police before the violence starts, if possible.
• If possible, keep a charged cell phone with you at all times. Be aware that even if you have no minutes on a minute plan your cell phone will work to call 9-1-1.
• If you need to leave your home or workplace, know the best escape routes and practice your emergency exit plans. Teach any children the escape route as well.
• Plan where you can go if you need to leave. These places should be safe locations.
• If possible, make a safe area in your home that you and children can go to when you feel threatened and cannot leave. Avoid kitchens, bathrooms, the garage and other rooms which contain anything that can be used as a weapon. Don’t use a room without outside access.
• If possible, change all the locks on the home and install an alarm system and good lighting such as motion detectors.
• Keep your purse / wallet nearby if you need to leave.
• Keep spare keys to your car and home with you or in a safe place.
• Also keep copies of important documents in a safe place, preferably with a friend or family member outside of your home.  These documents include:
• Birth certificates
• Passports
• Driver’s licence(s)
• Insurance information
• Bank information
• Mortgage or lease papers
• Immigration documents
• Health records
• School records
• Other court documents
• Keep a small bag of clothes packed and hidden.

At Work:

• Make your employer/co-workers  aware of your situation and ask them to call police if they see your partner around your workplace.  Give them a photo of your partner if you have one.
• Direct employers / co-workers not to give out your contact information to anyone and not to give out your work schedule.
• Arrange for someone at work to walk with you to your car or walk with you from the building when leaving work.

While Driving or While In Transit:

• If a problem arises while you are driving, use your cell phone to call police or On Star if you have it. Honk your horn, flash your lights and drive to a police station that you know is open or to a heavily-populated public place such as a well-lit coffee shop.
• If you use public transportation, sit close to the driver.  If you can, have a friend walk you home or meet you and walk you home together.
• Let friends and relatives know where you are at all times. Also let them know the times you are expected home (and be home at those times) so that they can contact the police in the event you are missing.
• Tell friends, neighbours and family about the domestic abuse and create a code word or signal with them to let them know that you need help so that they can call the police for you.

With Children:

• Ensure that your children’s schools and/or daycare provider has a copy of all orders, including all restraining orders, custody and access orders as well as a photo of the accused party.
• Decide on a code word for your children to let them know to go and get help. Let them know where to go and how to use the phone to place a 9-1-1 call to police.  Rehearse with them what to do and say.

Additional Resources:

There are a variety of resources available on the internet to help you deal with your situation.  Please use caution when accessing such sites.  It may be safer for you to access from a public library or from a family member or friend's computer so that your partner cannot check to see what sites you have looked at.