Safety Planning Tool

Our safety planning tool will help you work out and securely save a plan you can use anytime you need it.

Your online plan will be completely anonymous, password protected and totally private.

After you submit your plan, you will be given a unique number. You will need to remember this number (along with your password) to log into your plan again.

*NEW* You can access a printable PDF version of this document here in A4 Size or in Booklet Size.

What is a Safety Planning Tool?

A safety plan is a tool primarily designed to provide practical support to people currently affected by sexual, family and intimate partner violence (SFIPV).

This safety planning tool is designed to help you and/or your client to start thinking about personal safety and the safety of dependants (such as pets, kids and other dependant or vulnerable loved ones).

It will help you to identify the things you/your client already do to be safe and build on these strategies, as well as prompting you to think about actions that could be taken to improve safety into the future. For those affected by SFIPV it is always useful to think about safety, whether the plan is to stay, leave or return to the relationship/s in question.

How to Use This Tool

Professionals are encouraged to use this plan with their LGBTQ+ client experiencing SFIPV by asking the client to answer the questions below in their own voice.

Examples of how you might ask your client(s) these questions are included below each question. Note that these are merely to assist and provide ideas, but each individual should answer in the way that seems most accurate for them.

If you are the person experiencing SFIPV, you can use this tool to develop a safety plan by yourself, with a support person or a service provider (e.g., counsellor, psychiatrist).

You do not need to answer all questions or complete it in one go for it to be useful. It is intended to be a tool you can develop and work on over time.

This safety planning tool asks you to enter information into an online form, by asking you a series of questions. You do not need to answer each question to continue.

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Things to Keep in Mind

• You can revisit this tool as many times as you need – you/your client’s skills, needs, assets and circumstances will change, so think of this as an evolving document that you can build on as you need.
• You can use this tool to upskill support people, such as friends, family, community members or colleagues.
• The clearer and more accurate information you provide, the more useful the tool will be.
• There are no right or wrong answers and you do not have to answer all of the questions for the tool to be useful.

It can be confronting to engage in safety planning. Note that you/your client may experience a stress response. Being aware of this can help you to anticipate and manage the impact it may have.

WARNING!

If you are completing this plan for yourself (not as a professional for a client), you need to be sure that the computer you are using is in a safe location and is not being monitored by anyone you wouldn’t want having access to this information.

We live in a digital age, and electronic surveillance is a common factor for people experiencing SFIPV. Click here  for more information on identifying and responding to electronic surveillance.

If you are using a computer at school or work, remember that the information you enter may be able to be monitored by your school or employer.

If it does not feel comfortable or safe for you to enter information into the computer, you can still read through the questions and think about your answers. Alternatively, you can download the questions to answer offline, or print the plan off and fill in the hard copy.

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Safety Planning

This section deals with planning ahead for the circumstances in which you would no longer be prepared to stay with your partner or family member. When would you leave, where would you go?

What is safety to me?

Think about your own personal definition of safety – what you need, what you can build on, and/or what you want to be working towards. Safety can be found in certain settings (e.g., yours or someone else’s home, your work or school, or out in nature). Safety can be found in the qualities of an environment – maybe you feel safest when it’s quiet and calm, or perhaps you feel most comfortable when your surrounds are busy and bustling. You may feel more or less safe according to how visible you feel as an LGBTQ+ person, or how LGBTQ+ friendly a particular environment is known to be. If you have any dependants in your care, including pets, you can also list your observations about what makes them feel safe here.

When do I feel safest in my relationship(s)?

All relationships are multidimensional, and many people in relationships experience feelings of safety and risk along a fluid spectrum. Feelings of safety can be impacted by internal factors (e.g., the health and wellbeing of each person) and external factors (e.g., financial pressures, housing instability, and immigration concerns). This question asks you to identify when you feel safest. Some people experience an increased feeling of safety directly after an incident of harm has escalated and resolved. Sometimes a sense of increased safety comes if you have supported each other through an external harm, such as homophobic harassment on the street or at a venue. For others, periods of increased safety might be tied to a particular routine or event (e.g., after attending a religious service together). Feelings of safety may also be linked to a particular window in a person’s pattern of alcohol and drug use and/or mental health presentation.

When do I feel the least safe in my relationship(s)?

This question asks you to identify when you feel least safe in your relationship(s). People who experience SFIPV often become highly attuned to when harm and violence is likely to occur. This is an opportunity for you to think about and note any warning signs, triggers or behaviours that cause you to feel less safe.

Who else’s safety do I also consider?

This question asks you whose safety is also on your radar, particularly if you feel a sense of responsibility for them. This may be pets, children, young people or other loved ones for whom you provide care. You can also feel deeply concerned with preserving the safety and wellbeing of the person (or people) using harm. It is completely possible that you can love the person, but not the harmful behaviour.

What safety strategies do I already have in place?

This question asks you to think about coping strategies you already use to keep yourself safe. You may not realise that the conscious and unconscious ways you respond to harm are safety strategies. For example, nightmares allow you to experience strong emotions that you might not have other opportunities to process. Shock responses, such as becoming numb, are protective and usually arise in situations where you may be at higher risk. Interpersonal skills based on your deep understanding of your relationship(s), such as soothing and placating also keep you safe. You may use drugs or alcohol, comfort eating, or other self-soothing behaviours to calm yourself and help you manage your emotions. These are all valid and speak to your body’s innate desire to survive your experiences of harm.

Overall, how well do my safety strategies work?

1 - not at all2 - they work occasionally3 - they work sometimes4 - they work often5 - very well

What safety strategies do I already use for others?

How do you act protectively for others you care for? This can include the person who is using harm – for example, you may be hesitant to engage police if your partner is trans or gender non-conforming. Other examples including escalating an incident at a time when doing so would protect your children from direct harm, or deciding not to call for help if you know doing it might distress others. Noting these behaviours helps you connect to all the work you are already doing. It also gives support people/service providers more information and a better understanding of your current situation.

Overall, how well do my safety strategies for others work?

1 - not at all2 - they work occasionally3 - they work sometimes4 - they work often5 - very well

Asset Mapping

Asset mapping is a way of looking at what resources you already have at your disposal. This can identify areas you can use, build on, or gaps you want to address in order to give you the greatest choice and power when responding to SFIPV in your relationships.

Material Assets

If you have material assets not listed below, please add them using the button that says "add to this list".

• Money in my account
• Car
• Other assets (house, shares, boat etc.)
• Technology, (laptop, phone)
• Add new choice

Environmental Assets

If you have environmental assets not listed below, please add them using the button that says "add to this list".

• Familiar/known neighbourhood
• Friendly neighbours
• Support service nearby
• Close to “safe zones” (somewhere you feel safe (e.g., a spot in nature)
• School/workplace
• Friends/family nearby
• Add new choice

Logistical Assets

If you have logistical assets not listed below, please add them using the button that says "add to this list". NOTE: We recommend keeping all documents (or copies) in one safe place.

• Alternative places to stay
• Details of useful support services
• Identification
• Doctors prescriptions
• Public transport information and extra fair card (topped up)
• Add new choice

Relational Assets

If you have relational assets not listed below, please add them using the button that says "add to this list".

• Supportive relationships (friends, family, colleagues)
• Community supports (sports clubs, interest groups, community groups)
• Supportive service providers (GP, therapist, social workers)
• Add new choice

Anything else?

Please list any other assets not included above.

Safe Places and Dependants

This section will take you through a series of questions to ensure that you've considered all angles and options relating to your home, work or school, and any dependants you may need to consider. Please tick the box for any 'yes' answers.

Safer at Home

Staying safe/safer at home will look different for each individual. Variables such as who you live with, whether you have housing security, whether you live with dependants, and other factors will have a big impact. Some people may have more than one place they consider home – if this is the case, apply the questions to all of your home spaces.

• Is your housing situation stable?
• Is your name on the lease or mortgage of where you live?
• Do you live with other adults?
• Do you have reliable internet and phone access in any/all parts of your home space?
• Is your home easy to exit at any time (e.g., unlocked windows and doors, clear exits, etc.)?
• Do you have a safe space in your home such as a room you can lock? (Note: For some people, being able to lock their bedroom or bathroom door will make them feel safer, while for others this would make them feel less safe. You are the best judge of what is safe for you in your home space.)
• Do you know the routines of your household members and dependents?
• Do you have opportunities to remove yourself from the home should it begin to feel less safe and/or to give you the opportunity to process, reflect and care for yourself?
• Do you have opportunities to become more familiar with your local area, build your asset map and to access or build on other supports?
• Add new choice

Safer at School/Work

Safety at work or school will look very different for each person according to their individual situation. You may already know if work/school is a safe place for you to be and/or if you will be made safer by disclosing to people at your place of work or school that you are experiencing SFIPV. If you are still figuring this out, but you think that increased safety is at least possible, here are some questions to consider (answer only the ones that feel relevant to your situation).

• Does your work/school have policies about SFIPV you can access? (Some workplaces even have special leave entitlements for people experiencing SFIPV.)
• Is your workplace LGBTQI+ positive and are you already “out” at work/school?
• Do you feel they are likely to understand your relationship and your experience of SFIPV? If not, do you trust them to try?
• How well do you think the people at your work/school understand SFIPV? Are there particular people/roles within your work/school who you feel would be most likely to have more knowledge?
• Do you have any current friends or allies within your school/work to support you through the process of disclosure and seeking support?
• Is an unsafe person able to access you at your work/school? Can that be prevented?
• Is your travel to/from work/school safe?
• Add new choice

If You Are a Caregiver

If you are a caregiver - whether it is for children, dependants, vulnerable loved ones or pets – you are likely to have many additional concerns around safety and support. LGBTQI+ families made up of caregiving adults and dependants can take many forms and have very specific needs. This section is for you to note any concerns or observations relevant to your situation. You can use any of the following prompts that feel relevant to you and are not obligated to answer them all if they do not relate to your situation.

• Do you have a copy of their important documents in a safe place (e.g., birth certificates, medical prescriptions, pet insurance, microchipping details)?
• Are they generally calm in stressful situations?
• Have they had any recent significant or sudden changes in their behaviour?
• Does your dependent have a safe place they can stay if they need to be away from the home?
• Does you dependent have safe people in their life outside of the family?
• Does your dependent have safe and enjoyable things they regularly go and do away from the home (e.g., sports groups, music lessons, doggy day-care)?
• Add new choice

Before, During and After an Incident of Harm

Managing harm is something that people who experience SFIPV do all the time. The questions in this section are designed to help you reflect on and document how you manage an incident of harm before, during and after it has occurred. This is a resource to support you and any allies, support people or professionals. SFIPV is never the fault or responsibility of the victim, and it’s important to bear that in mind as you go through the questions below. This has been created in the hopes that the information captured may enable you to be better resourced and supported moving forward. Please note that episodic harm is not the only form of significant harm from SFIPV. Many forms of harm, such as psychological abuse, stalking, surveillance and sexual coercion are incremental, not episodic. SFIPV can occur exclusively as incremental harm and be just as serious and impactful. Be aware that changes in patterns of behaviour can indicate a significant change in your level of risk.

Before Harm

You might already be consciously or unconsciously aware of when SFIPV is escalating, and when an incident is more likely to occur (see when do I feel least safe) If this is the case, you are probably already doing things to manage this risk (see safety strategies). Are there other things you want to do now or in the future if you feel that an incident is approaching? Below are some prompts to help you plan. Remember that no one knows your situation better than you, so trust your gut about what will make you feel safer. Can you:

• Consciously engage your existing strategies
• Plan around upcoming stressors - Note any relevant health and wellbeing issues, any significant dates (like a traumatic anniversary) or other big events, list any support services around these and note any particular needs you have in relation to any of the above.
• Plan your escape route – Make sure your escape route is clear and accessible should you need it. Make sure any children or dependants know it as well.
• Practice your code words – If you use them. This could be a code word you use with supports to signal they should enlist emergency services, or with children or other dependants to signal them to hide in an agreed place or remove themselves from the area by a pre-planned route.
• Contact your allies and supports – What this looks like will depend on your specific circumstances. You might let people know you are beginning to feel unsafe, if you feel this will make you safer. You might ask them to check in on you after an agreed period of time, or engage first responders (such as emergency services) in response to a code word (see training allies), or in the event that you don’t answer when they try to contact you. You might just let them know that you will need extra support in the coming days – this could be emotional, financial or material support (e.g., food, support with pet or child care, etc.).
• Remove or secure weapons - If this is appropriate and makes you feel safer.
• Be aware of critical flags – According to research, there are some things that indicate that the risk of serious harm could rapidly escalate. Examples include the person using harm is self-injuring and/or suicidal, experiencing an episode of psychosis (drug induced or otherwise), or has escalated physical violence to the use of weapons and/or strangulation. Changes to the target of physical violence (e.g., children, dependants, pets) can also indicate increased risk. Research also indicates that risk can escalate if the person experiencing harm is pregnant, preparing to leave the relationship, or has recently left. If one or more of these critical flags are present, you could be at increased risk of significant harm. Trust your gut and act with caution, but seek help and support by whatever means are available to you to make you safer.
• Prepare a “go-bag” – Get together a small bag of the essential things you might need if you decided to leave in a hurry. You can decide where you leave it – it could be in your house or vehicle, or with a trusted support person. If you have particular needs (e.g., medications, mobility aids, etc.) include extras of these if you are able. If you have dependants under your care, prepare a go-bag for each of them as well.

During Harm

You will already be consciously or unconsciously engaging in strategies to keep yourself safe during incidents of harm. Are there additional things you want to do now, or in the future, during an incident of harm? Can you:

• Consciously engage your existing strategies
• Remove long jewellery or scarves or neckties that could be used to choke or restrain you
• Position your body to protect your vulnerable head/neck and torso, or other vulnerable areas like existing injuries or chronic pains
• Avoid being cornered
• Use your code words (if appropriate)
• Avoid physical spaces (e.g., particular rooms/parts of the home) where you feel least safe
• Engage first responders (e.g., ambulance or police)

After Harm

Taking care of yourself after you have experienced harm is important. You deserve good care and support that recognises the amount of work you are doing to survive abuse and protect yourself. You are probably already engaging in aftercare practices for yourself and any dependants. Is there anything additional you want to do now, or in the future, to build on your aftercare? Can you:

• Consciously engage your existing aftercare strategies and practices
• Keep a record of the incident (including documenting any visible injuries and keeping any related communication, such as text messages or emails)
• Access medical treatment, should you or your dependants need it – ideally with an ally or support person
• Reach out to your allies and supports
• Update the information in this safety tool as appropriate
• Call professional support, such as a domestic violence helpline, therapist or social worker

Extra Notes

This is for you add any extra notes or lists you may need (for example what to pack in your "go-bag").

Review

Regularly reviewing and updating this document will ensure it is most useful and relevant to you and any supports you choose to share it with. Ensure any major events or changes are represented here, and that contact details and other information are accurate and up to date. Below is a list of review questions you can use to reflect on your circumstances and capture any relevant changes. You can do this by yourself or with a support person/service provider.

What has happened since the last time I reviewed my plan?

What has changed?

What new barriers are there?

What new opportunities are there?

What do I want to do next?

Are there any new risks?

This includes physical, emotional, sexual, relationship, money, job, housing, immigration status, children, custody, or other risks.

What are my actions over the next day, week and/or month?

Are there any risks associated with these actions?

Who are my supports?

Do my supports have the most recent version of this document?

YesNo

Are they/can they be in contact with each other?

YesNo

What specific help can they provide?

Make sure this information is updated on your asset map.

Do I have any current goals?

What help do I need to reach my goals?

Security

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