Last page edit 06/27/08

Domestic Violence Home Reading Room Search PLL Home
Your Safety
 Protecting yourself and your children from violence is the first step. Every year, millions of people are abused at the hand of their partners, and thousands are killed or permanently disabled. Don’t let yourself become a victim of domestic violence—become a survivor.

Steps Everyone Should Take Now
Thinking it through now : Making a safety plan 

Tips on remaining safe: Safety Basics  Checklist
If the person who abuses you has access to the same computer you are using now, follow these easy tips on keeping your search for information on the Internet private 

You can get a free cell phone that you can use to call 911 in the event of a violent incident. Contact a domestic violence organization in your area. 

Your Safety During an Incident
What to do during an incident of domestic violence

Getting help from the police 

If You Decide to Leave to Take Action
What to do when you decide to leave the relationship 

Your Legal Options
What to do if your abuser violates your Protective Order  Finding a safe place to go

After You Leave
What to do once you have left the relationship

Consider obtaining a new Social Security Number if your abuser knows the number and may use the number to find you and/or harass you.

Keeping your personal information private
If the abuser has lived with you and has access to your personal information, act to prevent identity theft.  For more information on protecting yourself, see the Enoch Pratt "Identity Theft" how-to guide. If there has been violence directed towards a child you share with an abusive person or you fear violence when you exchange the child for visitation, consider requesting that child exchanges take place in a protected setting. See the website Directory of Exchange Centers.

You will also want to consider your safety on the job.

Source: Maryland Legal Assistance Network, updated by the Maryland State Law Library (MSLL).
Last Date Reviewed (no legal content) 6/27/08 (PLL/M.A.J.)
Is this legal advice? This site offers legal information, not legal advice.  We make every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information and to clearly explain your options.  However we do not provide legal advice - the application of the law to your individual circumstances. For legal advice, you should consult an attorney.  See our section on Finding Legal Help.

About this website. The Maryland State Law Library, a court-related agency of the Maryland Judiciary, sponsors this site. The website was developed (1999-2007) as part of an access to justice initiative by the Maryland Legal Assistance Network (MLAN) in collaboration with a number of legal services providers serving low and moderate income Marylanders.  In the absence of file-specific attribution or copyright, the Maryland State Law Library may hold the copyright to parts of this website. You are free to copy the information for your own use or for other non-commercial purposes with the following language “Source: Maryland's People’s Law Library – www.peoples-law.org. © Maryland State Law Library, 2007.”

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