Escape From Domestic Abuse:

If you suffer from domestic abuse, you need a plan of escape just as you need one to flee a fire. But fear of retaliation from your partner can impede your ability to seek help. Fortunately, most communities provide support agencies that are staffed 24 hours a day to aid domestic violence victims. These programs usually offer emergency housing in a safe, secret location. Contact your organization's employee assistance or counseling program or the National Domestic Violence Hotline at (800) 799-7233. You can speak with advocates who will talk with you about your situation - or who will advise someone who  calls on your behalf. These advocates provide crisis intervention, safety planning, and information and referrals to agencies in all 50 states. You can also call your state office of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence for immediate help, support, and shelter. Domestic violence will not solve itself over time, so you must take action. A partner who speaks of murder or suicide puts you in even greater peril, so take such threats seriously. Hotline counselors can help you plan your departure so that you have the support and protection you need to escape safely. Additional steps to take: have witnesses of the abuse write down what they saw and call police after an assault.

Sources: www.ndvh.org

From September 2006 Newsletter