1. Keep a suitcase or bag close by so you can access it quickly and easily. Whenever possible, put the following items in it:
- Clothes for you and your children
- Duplicate keys for the apartment or the house as well for the car
- Cash
- Your identity documents (yours and your children’s): social insurance cards, health insurance cards, birth certificates, passports
- Driver's license, proof of registration
- Your bank books, check books, credit cards, mortgage papers or lease agreement, marriage certificate
- Your address book
- A picture of your spouse or your ex-spouse to help to identify him
- A list of items that you could pick up later if you had the possibility to go back home
3. Plan a means of transportation.
4. Talk about your situation to someone you trust. Share a password with this person that you will use to let them know that you are in danger and that they should contact the police immediately.
5. Teach your children to dial 911 in case of emergency.
6. Teach them not to intervene during an episode of domestic violence and tell them they should seek refuge in a safe place at home or with neighbours.
7. Plan for a place to stay (parents, friends, shelter) in case of emergency.
8. Establish a relationship with a shelter by sharing what you are going through. Contact them at any time for support and immediate assistance.
WARNING: A victim who attempts to escape violence should disable the geolocation function of her smart mobile device and social networks.
Maison Interlude House would like to thank La Gitée for granting us permission to use this information posted on their web site.