We made it to the end of the "Be the Change Week: Impact and Empower"! We hope that this week has you thinking about healthy relationships. Maybe you are starting to think about the kind of relationship you deserve and want to be in. Maybe you have begun to recognize unhealthy patterns in your relationship and are now committed to fostering a healthier relationship with your partner. Or maybe you have recognized that you are in an unhealthy relationship or know someone who is.
If you identify with the latter, then let's talk about safety planning. A safety plan is a personalized, practical plan to improve your safety while experiencing abuse, preparing to leave an abusive situation, or even after you break up. Each safety plan is unique to you and your situation.
A good safety plan includes vital information about how to cope with your emotions, who to reach out to and talk to, and how to take action to ensure your safety.
It’s worth taking the time to think through. It can prepare you to respond to different scenarios because when we are in stressful moments or in the midst of a crisis, it can be next to impossible to think clearly. Having a safety plan laid out in advance can help you protect yourself and others in difficult situations. Check out the video to learn more about safety planning.
If this is something that you want to know even more about or are interested in, visit loveisrespect.org. Love is respect is the national organization leading in the fight to end teen dating violence, and they have a really great interactive safety planning tool, which will walk you through – step by step – on making your own plan!
Or you can call NAM’s Family Violence Center hotline number at 281-885-HOPE.
Thank you for joining NAM in spreading awareness of Teen Dating Violence. We hope this week has made you think about unhealthy and more importantly healthy relationships! Everyone deserves love and respect. Take care of yourself, and remember to be the change - impact and empower!
For more information about teen dating violence and domestic abuse, please visit namonline.org/family-center.