Writing a safety plan with a woman with disabilities needs careful attention. The plan should be specific to the person you are working with. This is because they may face barriers to increase their safety.
What I can do to stay safe
A text-only Easy Read version
You can download a PDF Safety Plan here.
This safety plan should always be developed with a support worker, counsellor, or other professional who works with the woman with disabilities.
Some support might need extra planning and support:
Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA) wrote this plan.
When you see the word ‘we’, it means WWDA.
We wrote this information in an easy to read way.
We wrote some important words in bold.
This means the letters are thicker and darker.
We explain what these bold words mean.
There is a list of these words at the bottom of this page
A support person will help you use this plan.
You can also ask a friend or family member to help you.
This safety plan can help you become safer.
You can use this plan if you experience domestic and family violence.
Domestic and family violence is when someone close to you:
This could be:
This safety plan can help you remember what you can do to be safe.
When you have finished writing this plan, you can:
You can learn more about domestic and family violence here (internal link).
This safety plan includes some questions for you to answer.
Write your name.
Write where you live.
Write your phone number.
An emergency:
Write down the phone numbers of people you can call for help.
You can call emergency services.
Emergency services can come to help you when you are in danger.
They include:
You can call 000 if you are in danger.
You can contact support services.
For example:
Sexual assault is when someone:
Write the names and numbers of support services.
Write the number of a person you can call:
1800RESPECT can support you if you are experiencing domestic and family violence.
You can call them any time.
Phone: 1800 737 732
You can send them a text message.
0458 737732
If you send them a text message, you can just send the word ‘HELLO’.
You can visit their website and use their:
Website: www.1800respect.org.au
You can write down information about safe places you can go.
Write the address of a friend or family member’s home you can go to.
Write how you will get there.
You might need an accessible way to travel to your safe place.
When a way to travel is accessible, it is easy to:
Write what support you need to travel to your safe place.
Write what support you might need to look after your children in your safe place.
You might need to tell someone if you have to go to your safe place.
For example, a family member.
Write the names of people you need to tell.
You might need to talk to someone if you don’t feel safe.
For example:
Write the name of someone you can call.
Write down how you will contact them.
For example, you might call them or send them a letter.
You might need money to support yourself.
You might control your own money.
Or someone else might control it.
You might need money you can get:
Write down where you can keep some money safe.
For example:
You might need money for transport to get to your safe place.
Write down where you will keep money for transport.
You might have a support worker or carer.
A support worker is someone you pay to provide you with care.
Write down the name of your support worker or carer.
Write down how you will tell your support worker or carer where you are going.
Identity documents are documents that:
For example, your:
Write what identity documents you have.
Write where you keep your identity documents.
Think about how you can keep your identity documents safe if you have to go to your safe place.
You might give a copy of your identity documents to someone you trust.
Write who you give a copy of your identity documents to.
You might have pets.
Write what you will do with your pets if you need to go to your safe place.
You might need support to move around.
For example, if you use a wheelchair.
Write down any support you need to move around.
Write any support you need to communicate.
Your disability might affect how you see or hear.
Write any supports you might need.
You might get support from a disability support service.
Write which services or people give you support.
Write what type of support you get from your disability support service.
You might need support for other parts of your life.
Write what type of support you might need.
You might know about other support that has helped you feel safe before.
Write what other support has helped you feel safe.
You might have ideas about what can help you feel safer right now.
Write what you can do to feel safer.
This list explains what the bold words in this document mean.
Accessible
When a way to travel is accessible, it is easy to:
Domestic and family violence
Domestic and family violence is when someone close to you:
Emergency
An emergency:
Emergency services
Emergency services can come to help you when you are in danger.
They include:
Identity documents
Identity documents are documents that:
Sexual assault
Sexual assault is when someone:
Support worker
A support worker is someone you pay to provide you with care.
This course is for anybody who supports women with disabilities or who supports women who are experiencing domestic and family violence. This course aims to provide participants with the knowledge, skills, and tools to effectively support women with disabilities who have experienced or are still experiencing domestic and family violence or abuse. We want to support our communities and the people who work in them to help reduce the rates of violence against women with disabilities. Sign up or log in to access the Professional Development Hub for this course.
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