Online Resources

• National Coalition Against Domestic Violence
• National Network to End Domestic Violence
• National Domestic Violence Hotline
• Office on Violence Against Women
• National Center on Domestic Violence, Trauma, and Mental Health
• For resources and information specifically related to children and trauma, visit
• the National Child Traumatic Stress Network.
• National Deaf Domestic Violence Hotline
• Get Help Rack Card (PDF, City of Philadelphia)

Also See Hotlines

Safety Planning:

A safety plan is a plan a woman makes in which she identifies ways she can protect herself during a violent incident and reduce the risk of serious harm. Safety planning requires a holistic conception of safety: “a victim who is no longer hit by a partner but has no way to feed her children or pay rent is not safe. Nor is she safe if she experiences debilitating effects of trauma or lives in social isolation.” With this broad view of what makes a victim safe, safety plans must be comprehensive. This means that while plans will discuss violence, they will not be focused entirely on violence.One of the most crucial, yet frequently overlooked, aspects of safety and safety planning is taking care of yourself. This includes your physical, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing.

• Physical: Prepare for leaving, leaving, and/or after leaving an abusive relationship. Things to bring, where to go, ensure safety afterwards.
• Emotional/Mental: Developing ways to move forward from a violent past. After leaving a partner who has abused you, starting fresh and new environments can bring relief, but also can be stressful and disorienting. The sense of healing is a lifetime journey, and it’s very individualized.

• Understand emotional safety: Find a place where you can feel emotionally
  safe, such as talking to a trained advocate or trusted person about what
  you’re going through. Often, they can validate what you’re feeling and help
  you return to a calmer emotional state.
• Address the trauma: The physical and emotional aftereffects of abuse can
  take a toll on a person’s ability to make a plan and put it into action. People
  affected by trauma may wonder what’s wrong with them when they
  experience difficulty processing information. Find a support group with
  other individuals of shared experience. Know you aren’t alone and validate
  how you’re feeling.
• Understand mixed feelings: Someone can be relieved to get away from
  abuse and still miss the partner or parent they’ve left. Some people are still very much in love with their abusive partner. Learn more about the trauma you’ve endured. Educating yourself on different types of domestic violence as well as tactics abusers use, some of which may have been used against you, can help you reach a place of understanding. Furthermore, learning about triggers that can send you back into a state of panic or anxiety can help you prepare better to deal with them when they arise.
• Reach out for support: After leaving, a survivor may feel alone. All survivors’ journeys are different—you may relish in this sense of independence, or your new solo journey may mean you start to feel emotionally unstable. If needed, this is the time to ask for support. A domestic violence advocate point the way to resources. Also, consider
  making a list of trusted people, even if you’ve lost touch. Think of each connection as a way to rebuild a web of support.

Revised: 08/03/2024