Printable safety checklist
Leaving safely — planning checklist
Leaving can be the most dangerous time in an abusive relationship. Plan quietly, and please call a domestic-violence hotline to build a plan tailored to you — they help non-physical situations too.
Before you leave — documents
- Photo ID, passport, birth certificate, social security / national ID.
- Immigration or residency documents.
- Marriage / custody / court paperwork.
- Insurance cards, medical records, prescriptions list.
- Copies of bank, tax, and lease documents.
Money
- Open a bank account in your name only, at a different bank.
- Set aside cash where they can’t see it.
- Know your credit score; watch for accounts opened in your name.
- Save a photo of pay stubs / benefits statements.
Digital safety
- Change passwords on email, bank, cloud, and social — from a device they don’t control.
- Turn on two-factor authentication.
- Check phone for location sharing, family tracking, and unknown apps.
- Use a private / incognito browser when researching leaving.
- Assume shared devices are not private.
People & place
- Tell one trusted person your plan and agree a check-in signal.
- Identify where you’ll go (friend, family, shelter).
- Save the domestic-violence hotline number in your phone under a different name.
- If children are involved, get advice about custody before leaving.
A go-bag, hidden somewhere safe
- Copies (not originals) of key documents.
- Cash, spare bank card, phone charger, prescription meds.
- Change of clothes, small comfort item for kids.
- Written list of important phone numbers.
If you are in immediate danger
- Call your local emergency number.
- US: National Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-799-7233, text START to 88788.
- Trust your gut. You do not need “proof” to reach out for help.