Safety planning

Whether you’re staying or leaving, a safety plan can help you and your family stay safe if you’re experiencing family and domestic violence.

You don’t have to do this on your own. You can contact a family and domestic violence support service for help. They’ll work with you to find ways you and your family can feel safer.

Safety plan

Some things you may want to think about for your safety plan:

• If you need to leave, have a safe place to go. This could be a friend or family member’s house, or a refuge.
• Save important numbers, such as the local taxi service or a refuge near you, in your phone under another name.
• Have an escape bag, or keep a bundle of clothes, bank cards or money somewhere you can get them quickly.
• Have an escape plan for when you need to leave. It’s best to leave when your abuser is out of the house, unless you need to leave immediately.
• Open a new bank account in your own name that only you can access.
• Set up a new email address that you can use for new bank accounts, contacting support services or government services.
• Redirect your mail to a secure home address or PO Box. Australia Post has a free mail redirection service if you’re experiencing family and domestic violence. This gives you access to a PO Box for free.
• Check your devices for tracking apps, which can be used to monitor where you are.

You can find a safety planning checklist and escape bag checklist on the 1800RESPECT website.

Safety after leaving

There are steps you can take to keep yourself safe after you’ve left a family and domestic violence relationship.

Some things you can do are:

• Change passwords for your accounts, such as social media, email, bank, myGov and other apps.
• Get a Domestic Violence Order (DVO), also known as an Intervention Order, Apprehended Domestic Violence Order, Family Violence Order or Restraining Order.
• Make sure you and your family are safe, consider changing your locks and alarm codes.
• Only tell people you trust where you are.
• Change your routine.
• Redirect your mail.
• Disable location settings on your phone and any other devices.
• Change your phone number and email address.
• Delete your social media accounts or consider not posting until you feel safer.

Find more information to help you stay safe after leaving on the safety planning checklist on the 1800RESPECT website.

Find out more about updating your government details if you’ve left a family and domestic violence relationship.

Staying safe online

If you’re in a family and domestic violence relationship, there are steps you can take so you’re safer online.

Some things you can do are:

• Use a computer or device outside your home for safety planning. You could use a computer at the library or a friend’s device.
• Clear your browser history when you’re using your device or a computer at home.
• Use private or incognito mode when you’re browsing the internet.
• Set up an email address that you can use for new bank accounts or contacting government services.
• Consider getting a separate phone to contact family and domestic violence support services and research for your safety plan.
• Don’t use saved passwords.
• Avoid sharing your passwords and secret question answers with other people. Update your passwords regularly.

Find out how you can protect your myGov account including if you suspect suspicious activity on your account.

Find an online safety checklist for people experiencing family and domestic violence on the eSafety Commissioner website.

Find out about web browsers, including how to use private mode and deleting history, on the eSafety Commissioner website.