Protect Yourself

It is not your fault.

When grownups in your family hit, kick, push, or throw things at someone else in your family, that is called domestic violence.

It might make you feel scared, confused, or mad. Maybe it makes you feel like crying or yelling.

Or maybe it makes you feel embarrassed or guilty, but it is not your fault.

When people are fighting, your job is to stay safe. Here are some things you can do to protect yourself.

• Stay out of the fight.When the fighting starts, go to your room or another safe place.
1. Stay out of the room where the fighting is.
2. Stay out of small rooms where you might get trapped, like a closet or a bathroom.
3. Stay out of the kitchen and garage, where it's easy to get hurt during a fight.
4. If you need help RIGHT NOW, try to call 911 from a room away from the fighting.
• If there is no safe place in your house, go to a friend's house or to a neighbor's house. Once you are in a safe place, you can call for help.
• Tell an adult you trust what is happening at your house. You could tell a neighbor, a teacher, a pastor, or a police officer.
• Call 911 and ask the police for help if you are afraid that you or someone else will be hurt.
1. Tell the police where you are.
2. Tell the police who is being hurt.
• Practice how to get out of your home in an emergency.
• Which doors, windows, or stairs are the safest way to get out of your house during a fight?