How to build a safety plan

A safety plan is not one document or one decision. It is a set of specific, practical answers you work out in advance, so you are not inventing them in the moment something happens. It helps whether you still live with or work near the person who hurt you, or whether the danger has passed and you are protecting yourself while a case moves forward.

Keep the plan itself safe

You do not need to write any of this down. If you do, keep it somewhere the person cannot find it, in a locked drawer, with someone you trust, or in a notes app protected by a passcode they do not know. Do not store it anywhere that syncs automatically to a shared device.

If you still see this person regularly

• Know which rooms have more than one way out, and avoid rooms with none, like a bathroom with no second exit, during an argument.
• Agree a code word with a friend, neighbour or coworker that means "call the police" or "come now", without needing to explain why on the phone.
• Keep your phone charged, and know one number you can dial without unlocking the screen.
• If it is safe to do so, keep a small bag ready, ID, some cash, a spare key, a change of clothes, somewhere other than the home you share.
• Think through, in advance, one place you could go on short notice: a relative, a friend, a shelter number from the helplines page.

Protecting your digital safety

• Check whether the person has access to your phone, email, or social accounts, and change passwords from a device they cannot reach if you can.
• Turn off location sharing on apps you did not set up yourself, and check for ones you do not remember installing.
• If you are searching for help online, remember your device keeps a history. The "Leave this site" button at the bottom of every page on this site clears what this app has stored and stops Back from returning here, but only you can clear your browser history. The Covering your tracks section below walks through that.
• Consider a separate, free email address for anything related to a lawyer, a shelter, or leaving, one the person does not know exists.

If you are thinking about leaving

• Gather copies of ID documents, bank details, and anything for children in your care, before you need them urgently.
• If you can, set aside money somewhere separate, even a small amount.
• Decide in advance where you would go and how you would get there, rather than deciding in the moment.
• Tell one or two people you trust what your plan is, so someone besides you knows.

After you have left, or the immediate threat has passed

A protection order can restrict someone from contacting or approaching you while a case is ongoing. A lawyer can tell you whether one makes sense for your situation and how quickly it can be filed.

• Vary your routine where you can: the route you walk, the time you leave work, which entrance you use.
• Tell people at work or school who might reasonably need to know, so they are not caught off guard if the person shows up.
• Keep a record of any contact the person makes after you have asked them to stop, dates and what was said. This can matter later even if it feels unnecessary now.

Who to call

Write down, somewhere only you can find it, the two or three numbers you would actually call: a trusted person, a helpline, and a referral centre near you. The support services page lists helplines and centres across Nigeria, and stays reachable even without a data connection.