A safety plan is a simple, personalized set of steps that make you safer — where you'll go, who you'll call, what you'll take, and how you'll keep it private. It works whether you're staying, preparing to leave, or already out, and it doesn't commit you to anything. It just means you're ready.
What a safety plan is
A safety plan is your own answers to a few what-if questions, worked out in advance — because in a crisis, the thinking is already done. It's practical, not dramatic, and it's yours alone.
If you're still living with them
Notice the safest spots — rooms with an exit and no weapons; avoid kitchens, bathrooms, and small rooms during conflict.
Keep your phone charged and on you; know which neighbor or friend you can run to.
Set a code word with a trusted person and your kids that means “call for help.”
Teach children to stay out of the conflict and how to call 911 — never to intervene.
Rehearse your exit so it's muscle memory.
A go-bag, kept somewhere safe
Store it where the abuser won't find it — a trusted person's home, your workplace, your car, a locker:
IDs, passports, birth certificates, SSN and insurance cards, custody/immigration papers (or photos of them)
Cash and a bank card; spare keys
Medications and a few days of essentials; a change of clothes
A comfort item for each child
Copies of any evidence you've gathered
Keep it private (digital safety)
Plan on a device the abuser can't access; clear history or use private browsing.
Turn off location sharing; check for tracking apps/AirTags.
Save the hotline number under a disguised contact name.
If you have children or pets
Plan for them too — who picks them up, what they take, where they go. Many shelters now accommodate children and have pet-fostering partnerships, so pets are less often a reason you have to stay; the hotline can help you find one.
Make it real
A domestic-violence advocate can build a plan with you for free. Unmasked's Safety plan tool also walks you through it and pre-fills from your situation, so you have it ready when you need it.
Do I need to be planning to leave to make a safety plan?
No. A safety plan helps if you're staying, undecided, preparing, or already out. It's about being ready and safer right now — not a commitment to leave.
Where should I keep my safety plan and go-bag?
Somewhere the abuser can't find them — a trusted friend or relative's home, your workplace, your car, or a locker. Keep any digital copy on a device or account they don't have access to.
Can someone help me make one?
Yes. Domestic-violence advocates do this every day, free and confidential (1-800-799-7233 in the US). Unmasked's Safety plan tool also guides you step by step.