DVConnect Womensline

Whether you have made the decision to stay in a relationship, are thinking about leaving, or have already left, DVConnect can help you with safety planning.

What is safety planning?

Safety planning means creating a clear plan to minimise harm to you and your loved ones, especially when abuse may escalate. Remember, stopping the violence is the responsibility of the person who chooses to be abusive.

A good safety plan includes practical steps to help you leave quickly if needed. For example:

• Keep your car accessible so you can exit quickly.
• Have a packed bag with medication and important documents.
• Know which rooms have locks for making calls safely.

Below are some steps to help you create a Safety Plan specific to your own personal circumstances.

If you are staying

• Develop ‘signals’ with supportive neighbors or friends (e.g., hang a white sheet to indicate you need help).
• Keep essential items like spare keys and important documents within reach.
• Practice escape routes with your children, focusing on safe exits.
• Teach your children to prioritise their safety, not to rescue you.
• Plan where to go if you need to leave quickly (e.g., a friend’s house, a 24/7 police station).
• Ask a family member or friend to care for your pets.

If you are leaving

• Prepare a bag with clothes, medication, keys, and important items.
• Set aside some money for travel, accommodation, and food, if possible.
• Make copies of important documents (e.g., driver’s license, medical cards) and keep them with someone you trust or securely stored online.
• Pack items for your children, including clothes, medication, and favorite toys.
• Bring food and travel essentials for your pets.
• Prepare to take paid domestic violence leave from work. All employees in the Fair Work system (including part-time and casual employees) will be entitled to 10 days of paid family and domestic violence leave in a 12-month period. Paid family and domestic violence leave is available for employees of non-small business employers, from 1 February 2023. Employees of small businesses can access the leave from 1 August 2023. Find out more here.

After you have left

• Report abuse to the Police and apply for a DVO.
• Carry a copy of your DVO and share it with your workplace and your children’s school, if comfortable.
• Redirect your mail and consider getting a post office box. Australia Post offers this service free to eligible survivors. Find out more here.
• Get a new SIM card so you have a new phone number.
• If required to communicate with your ex-partner about children, consider getting a spare SIM or phone.
• Connect with a domestic and family violence service for support.
• Block your partner on social media or set up a new private profile.

Remember: Every Safety Plan is unique. While you can create one on your own, our crisis counselors can provide support and suggestions.

Important

Abuse is a choice and never your fault. You are not responsible for your partner’s abusive behavior. A Safety Plan helps protect you when someone chooses to harm.

Call us today to create a Safety Plan.

Call DVConnect Womensline on 1800 811 811

DVConnect can provide information and support whether you’re staying, considering leaving or have already left. If you need a safe place, call to talk through your options – whether that’s staying with someone you trust, accessing a refuge, connecting with a local specialist service or exploring other safe alternatives.

Shelters

Women’s Shelters (sometimes called safe houses or refuge) provide safe and secure accommodation and specialist support for women and children escaping domestic and family violence. DVConnect has relationships with shelters throughout Queensland and assists families to access these places of safety every day.

It’s important to know that shelters are not the only, or always the first, option for safety. Because shelter spaces are in high demand, our crisis counsellors may first ask whether you have a trusted friend, family member, or other safe accommodation available.

What to expect at Shelter

• Shelters vary and can be communal or provide self-contained units.
• Shelters provide temporary accommodation where women and children stay for a couple of weeks or a few months.
• Shelters are staffed with employees who help women to get back up on their feet and prepare for life after refuge.
• To maintain security and safety, the location and details of shelters are confidential and not available to the public. It is a condition of entering most shelters that you understand you cannot reveal the location to anyone including your family.
• Shelters do not have the facilities to store large items and furniture, so it is best to pack lightly and leave larger items with a safe family member, friend or at a storage unit.

To find out more about Shelter, visit the CWRG website.

For renters

If you are experiencing violence and are renting your home, you have rights under Queensland Tenancy Law.

• You are not responsible for break lease costs when you end your tenancy due to domestic violence.
• If you want to stay but don’t feel safe, you have the right to change the locks without the lessor or agent’s agreement.
• You are not responsible for damage related to an act of domestic violence.

Watch this video to find out more about your rights.

Learn more from Tenants Queensland here.

Call DVConnect Womensline on 1800 811 811

While DVConnect cannot provide legal assistance, we work closely with services that may be able to assist you such as Women’s Legal Service Queensland, Caxton Legal Centre and Legal Aid Queensland. You can reach out to these services directly via their websites.

Call DVConnect Womensline on 1800 811 811