Safety Planning for Teens

Safety Planning

Minimize violence and maximize safety planning ahead if you are in an abusive relationship. While we can not control the behavior of others, there are precautions we can take to distance ourselves from potentially dangerous situations.

Why do I need to safety plan?

It is important to start thinking about ways to keep you safe from the abuse, whether you decide to end the relationship or not. While you cant control your partners abusive behavior, you can take action to keep yourself as safe as possible.

What is a safety plan?

A safety plan is a practical guide that helps lower your risk of being hurt by your abuser. A good safety plan helps you think through lifestyle changes that will help keep you as safe as possible at school, at home and other places that you go on a daily basis.

• Teen Safety Plan
• A teens guide to safety planning – Workbook

Texting and Sexting

Currently texting is one of the most instant forms of communication. There are some things to watch out for in a textual relationship with your partner.

Texting Too Much

Keeping in touch with your partner throughout the day can be thoughtful, but constant contact is probably over-doing it. Remember, if they’re using text messaging to monitor everywhere you go, that is a warning sign of abuse.

Sexting

Does your partner ask for inappropriate picture of you? Or sends them to you? Even if you trust that your partner will be the only one seeing them, you can never guarantee that they wont end up on someone else’s phone or online. The same goes for webcams, social media and instant messaging.

Sexting can also have legal consequences. Any nude photos or video of someone under 18 could be considered child pornography, which is illegal even if done willingly.

Reading Someone Else’s Text

Does your partner ask you to read your texts? Or read them behind your back? Healthy relationships are built on trust, not jealousy. You have the right to privacy and the ability to talk to whomever you like. If your partner refuses to change, you could be in an unhealthy relationship.

Threats over Text

Threats over text should be taken seriously. Keep track of threatening texts and think about talking to someone you trust about what is happening.

What can I do?

Social Networking Safety

You deserve to be in a healthy relationship, whether in person or online.

Tips for staying safe on networking sites like facebook, twitter, instagram, snapchat, and others.

• Only post things you want the public to see or know.
• Be protective of your personal information.
• Set boundaries and limits.
• Keep your passwords private.
• Don’t do or say anything online you wouldn’t in person.

Abuse or Harassment

• Don’t respond to harassing, abusive or inappropriate comments. It could get you in trouble or even out you in danger.
• Keep a record of all harassing messages, posts and comments in case you decide to tell the police or get a restraining order.
• Always report inappropriate behavior tot he site administrators.

Leaving an Abusive Relationship

• Start by blocking your ex on your social networking pages and cell phone.
• Adjust your privacy settings to reduce the amount of information that people can see on your page. Remember, registering for some apps require you to change your privacy settings.
• Avoid posting private details on your friend’s pages. They may not have appropriate settings and doing so may allow someone to see your movements and location.
• Consider a “super-logoff”. Deactivating your accounts that way no one can see your content or post on your wall.
• Disabling your social networking pages entirely may be your best option to stop continued abuse or harassment.

Your Friend’s Safety

• If your friend is in an unhealthy or abusive relationship, be careful what you post about them. Pictures, locations, check-ins, even simple statements can used to control or hurt them.