30 Interventions and Safety Planning

Survivors of IPC are often afraid to leave their abusive partners because of the threats that have been made against them or their loved ones. The biggest threats for victims are strangulation (ten times more likely to be killed), the presence of a firearm (five times more likely), or if the abusive person is suicidal. It is not uncommon for an abusive person to threaten to kill themselves if they feel as if they’re losing control over their partner, and they pose a serious risk to their victim if they have attempted suicide in the past, talk about a specific plan, or have access to a gun. Domestic violence is the single biggest indicator of murder-suicides in the United States, and this has escalated to include survivors’ friends and family^.16

Safety is a top priority when IPV is identified. Before the patient leaves the office, referrals to local resources should be made with a personalized safety plan in place. The most dangerous time in a relationship occurs when the abused person decides to leave. Nearly 77 percent of domestic violence- related homicides occur upon separation, and there is a 75 percent increase of violence upon separation for at least two years¹⁷.   As the abuser realizes they are losing power and control over their partner, they often escalate tactics to increase fear in the individual leaving the relationship in an effort to make the individual stay. A safety plan is a set of actions that can help lower the risk of being hurt by an abusive partner. It includes specific information and resources that will increase one’s safety at school, home, and other places visited regularly. View an infographic related to a safety plan below:¹⁸

¹⁶ National Domestic Violence Hotline. (n.d.). Plan for safety. https://www.thehotline.org/plan-for-safety/

¹⁷ Battered Women’s Support Services. (2020, June 11). Eighteen months after leaving domestic violence is still the most dangerous time. https://www.bwss.org/eighteen-months-after-leaving-domestic-violence-is-still- the-most-dangerous-time/

¹⁸ “vaw-covid-1.jpg” by unknown author for World Health Organization is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO. Access for free at https://www.who.int/multi-media/details/make-a-safety-plan-for-you-and-your-children