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A Brief List of Things an Abused Person Can Do To Protect Themselves

1. Tell someone you trust what is going on.
2. Arrange a signal you can easily give that person to alert her to summon the police.
3. Develop a safety plan – identify a safe place to go if you decide to leave home.
4. Take as many of the items on the checklist preceding with you as you can when you leave.
5. Ask a friend or your doctor to take pictures of your injuries and keep the pictures and a description of what happened in a safe place. This will make it easier to get a restraining order, to prosecute the batterer if you decide to file criminal charges, or to get custody of your children if you file for divorce.