Sutherland Shire Domestic Violence

Sutherland Shire Domestic Violence Informtion and Support Guide 19 Safety Planning You can make an appointment with a support agency to discuss safety planning, even if you’re not ready to leave the relationship. Getting some advice early can help you maintain your physical safety throughout the process of separation. Different safety plans are needed for different situations; for example: • When living with the perpetrator • When planning to leave the relationship • When separated and living separately • What to do in workplace situations • What to do if in a public place • How to deal with family gatherings/changeovers Safety planning can be complex depending on the individual’s circumstance, but it aims to decrease the immediate and long- term risks to the safety of women and children. (www.asklois.org.au © Women’s Legal Services NSW, 2013) The Future There is a future after experiencing domestic violence. With support, women can move from living in unpredictable danger to reliable safety, can acknowledge memories but not live in them, and can become socially connected and not isolated. (Trauma and Recovery, Judith Herman 1992.)