Which elements should be included in an IPV safety plan?

Which elements should be included in an IPV safety plan?

• A. Wait for the patient to express intent to leave before offering resources.
• B. Encourage the patient to leave with no plan.
• C. Develop a safety plan including escape route, code word, safe contacts; provide resources; ensure patient knows how to access help.
• D. Advise patient to ignore danger signals.

Answer: (C)

Safety planning in intimate partner violence focuses on anticipating danger and building practical steps the person can take to stay safe now and in the future. A solid safety plan is concrete and action-oriented: it identifies an escape route or safe place to go, establishes a code word to signal danger to trusted people even when speaking freely is risky, lists safe contacts to reach for help, provides accessible resources (hotlines, shelters, advocacy, legal aid), and ensures the person knows how to access assistance quickly. This approach empowers the individual, respects their autonomy, and remains useful whether they stay or leave. That’s why including these elements together—escape route, code word, safe contacts, resources, and clear access to help—is the best choice. Options that wait for intent to leave, push for leaving without a plan, or tell someone to ignore danger signals do not address immediate safety and are not appropriate.

Safety planning in intimate partner violence focuses on anticipating danger and building practical steps the person can take to stay safe now and in the future. A solid safety plan is concrete and action-oriented: it identifies an escape route or safe place to go, establishes a code word to signal danger to trusted people even when speaking freely is risky, lists safe contacts to reach for help, provides accessible resources (hotlines, shelters, advocacy, legal aid), and ensures the person knows how to access assistance quickly. This approach empowers the individual, respects their autonomy, and remains useful whether they stay or leave. That’s why including these elements together—escape route, code word, safe contacts, resources, and clear access to help—is the best choice. Options that wait for intent to leave, push for leaving without a plan, or tell someone to ignore danger signals do not address immediate safety and are not appropriate.