If you stay: If you are living in an abusive relationship and are not ready to leave, you must keep yourself and your children safe. Whatever your reasons for staying, you do not deserve to be abused. If you decide to stay with your partner and work things out, seek outside help. See a counsellor who does not blame you for the abuse and who puts your safety first. Contact Islington Women's Aid,
to get recommendations for support. Sometimes women have to leave in a hurry. This might be when, for them,
the relationship is over. It might be to escape a particular assault,
or to take a break for safety and the time and space to plan and think
about things. |
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Find somewhere you can quickly and easily use a phone. |
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Carry with you a list of emergency numbers. Include friends, relatives, local police, Women's Aid, (even well known numbers can be forgotten in a panic). |
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Try to save some money for bus, train, cab fares. |
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Have an extra set of keys for house, flat, car. |
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Keep the keys, money and a set of clothes for you and the children
packed ready in a bag that you can get quickly. |
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If you have more time to plan leaving
do as much as possible of the following: |
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Leave when your abuser is not around |
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Take all of your children with you. |
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Take your legal and financial papers, i.e. marriage and birth certificates, court orders, national health cards, passports, driving licence, benefit books, address book, bank books, tenancy agreements, rent book etc. |
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Take any of your personal possessions, which have sentimental value - photographs or jewellery for example. |
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Take favourite toys for the children |
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Take clothing for at least several days |
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Take any medicine you or your children might need |
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No one has the right to abuse you. |
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