Safety Planning

Believing you are important can be hard, but here at REST we know that you survived for a reason. We take your safety seriously and know all too well that choices can sometimes be limited.

You know yourself and your situation best, so ask yourself hard questions, talk with a friend, or call our 24/7 hotline to make a plan that will work best for you.

Ask Yourself:

• What do you need to feel safe?

• What is it that is making you unsafe?

• What have you done in the past to be safe?

• If you find yourself choosing unsafe behaviors, what is the benefit you get from that behavior? Is there a way to meet your needs in safer ways?

• What are things that you do that help you cope with immense stress?

How can you change the situation around you to be safer?

• What are safe areas for you to be in? (cities, blocks, public areas, individual places of residence)

• What are unsafe areas for you? How can you avoid these as much as possible?

• Who are safe people and unsafe people for you to be around?

• Who can you reach out to when you need help?

• If you want to connect to REST or someone who can help you, when would be the safest time/situation to reach out?

• If you might need to leave your situation unexpectedly, can you keep some important items with a friend in advance?

• If you're trying to avoid someone unsafe, what mutual people do you know that you may need to stop contact with as well? Do you need to leave social media so they cannot find you?

If you are trading sex, can you do it in ways that are safer?

• Can you work with a friend so that you can offer each other back up if needed? If not, can you share your location with a friend?

• Can you negotiate for sexual services that use more protection and less violence?

• Can you set the terms for where you meet someone?

If you want help safety planning, call or text our 24/7 Hotline.