How to Ensure Your Safety in an Abusive Relationship
Whatever kind of abuse you are going through, your safety should always come first, followed by the safety of your children if you have any.
20/04/2021
Living in an abusive
relationship can be painful, and at times, you
may not even realize you are being abused. Abuse
in a relationship can take different forms. Some
abusers will deny you the right to seek
employment or limit your access to finances.
Other relationships are physically violent,
while some are more about emotional abuse,
sexual or verbal assault. Whatever kind of abuse
you are going through, your safety should always
come first, followed by the safety of your
children if you have any.
The following tips will help ensure your safety.
Always keep dangerous weapons safely
Any sharp object in the house can be used as a weapon. If possible, always keep knives, hammers, or any other sharp object in a secure place. Identify escape routes like windows, back door, or any other place you can escape through if the need arises.
If possible, always have a spare key to the front and back door safely kept at a place you can easily access. Keep your handgun safely and ensure you understand the rules of owning and using it.
You can get training from ConcealedCarry-Ed.com and get a Texas license to carry online. You get a full online course that uses HD videos and professional training on safe handgun handling and shooting and you also get trained on using a handgun for self-defense.
Communicate with close friends or relatives safely
Never enclose yourself in the house or keep the abuse a secret. Let some close family members know about it and a few close friends. If the situation gets out of control and your life gets endangered, they can offer quick help.
However, any form of communication should be done safely. Many abusers don’t like being known and they can turn more violent if they realize you have disclosed to people you are in an abusive relationship.
One of the safe ways to communicate is to use a different phone and number that you can always keep safely for emergency use only. Instead of using your usual computer, borrow a friend’s laptop or use one from a public library. Communicate with a close friend or neighbor verbally so that they stay alert in case of any emergency.
Plan for escape
You might feel the need to stay on in the hope that the abuse will end one day. However, you should have an escape plan ready because the situation can turn out more violent. In your plan, think of a place you can run to for safety which can be a friend’s house, a police center, or a family member’s house.
Always have some money ready with you and a bag packed with important items like clothing, medication, a spare phone, and children’s needs. If possible, keep the bag and money safely in a neighbor’s house for ease of access.
Let the children know about their abusive father
Abusive partners can turn violent to the children if they seem defensive or if you leave them behind during escape. If they are a little grown and can understand the situation, talk with them and let them know the escape plans they can take or how they can seek help if they are left home alone with an abusive father.
Your escape plan should always include your children in mind if you have any. Have some emergency numbers ready and a few taxi numbers with you.
Keep your communication secret
If you use your phone or home computer to communicate about your abusive partner, keep it secret. Delete all history after you communicate and avoid being tracked online or through voice calls.
Save your emergency numbers using alias names and let them be on speed dials. Some of the important communications you should keep secret are communication with the police, domestic violence helps centers, and with friends/relatives.