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What Can I Do To Be Safe?

If you have recently left a violent relationship, or are considering leaving one, you may want to know what you can do to stay safe if you are afraid that the other party will retaliate against your decision. There are many precautions that you may be able to take to prevent the other party from finding you or to protect yourself if they do. Listed below are a few of your options.

Get A Restraining Order

Obtaining a restraining order should be the first thing you do after you leave your significant other. Although it cannot physically protect you, the other party will be arrested if they are caught violating the order. If caught enough times, they may be kept in jail for an extended period of time, which will allow you a chance to get yourself together and decide what your next step will be and what you want to do from here on out.

Learn Self-Confidence & Self-Defense

Often in an abusive relationship, the offender constantly tries to tear down your self-esteem to keep you in that situation. Learning to have confidence in yourself will help you stand up for yourself if the other party finds and confronts you. Learning some sort of self-defense or carrying pepper spray will allow you to have a method to protect yourself and get away if the other party tries to get violent once again. You can help with your self-confidence by attending counseling specifically for those you have been the victims in a violent situation and you can receive self-defense training at a women’s help center or by taking classes, such as martial arts lessons.

Get A Roommate

If you have recently left a violent relationship, asking someone to share a new home with you may keep you safe. First, it could deter the other party from coming to the home because they may not want to confront you with others around. Secondly, there will be two pairs of eyes on the property and a good chance that someone will be home at all times. Third, if you come home and are confronted by the other party before you reach the door, there will be someone inside who will know that something is wrong outside and will be able to call the proper authorities. If you do choose to get a roommate, then it is only fair to let him or her know your situation before he or she moves in with you. It is not fair to bring another party into a potentially dangerous situation without their knowledge.

Move Away From The Area

Moving to another town may help to deter the other party from trying to contact you. The farther you move, the least likely it will be that they will try to see you or be able to find you. You may want to consider not leaving any forwarding address with the post office for your mail and asking family and friends not to reveal your whereabouts to the other party. Moving may be a difficult option if you have family in the area where you currently reside. However, if your family lives in another area then this may be the perfect time for you to move back home.

These are just a few of the many options that you have to choose from when you decide to leave an abusive situation. The most important thing is that you know how far the other party will go with their anger toward you. For some, moving and getting a simple restraining order will do, but others are more persistent and possibly more dangerous. The more extreme you feel the other party will be about you leaving, the more extensive measures you will need to take to keep yourself safe.