SAFETY PLANNING

In relationships where there is a history of blaming, name-calling, and devaluing the other person, it is reasonable to expect that unhealthy emotions and threatening actions may increase during heated arguments. Not only is this not ideal for your health and safety, but children in homes with this kind of toxicity can also bear the brunt of the damage caused by being witnesses to an emotionally and/or physically abusive relationship, affecting their mental and physical health for years to come.

If you are in a toxic relationship where arguments quickly devolve into blame, resentment, name-calling, devaluing the other person, verbal abuse, and/or physical abuse, we’d like to provide you with resources. Abuse often happens as a result of increased anxiety, heightened fear, decreased self-esteem, chemical abuse, mental illness, and lack of emotional regulation. Life events, including loss of jobs and/or income, health issues, deaths, and stress from being isolated, only increase an already volatile situation, adding to the increased threat of abuse. Historically, domestic violence also increases in the midst of a national or global crisis.

If your relationship has ever been verbally or physically violent, where your partner has threatened harm to you, your children, or your family, thrown objects, destroyed property, or hit you or a member of your household, it would be beneficial to create a safety plan for your and your children’s safety. Below are some resources that may help.

Here are some resources that can help:

National: 

National Domestic Abuse Hotline: 800-799-SAFE http://www.thehotline.org/ 

National Suicide Prevention Hotlines: 800-273-8255 https://www.imalive.org/ 

Suicide Prevention Hotline 800-784-2433 https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/chat/ 

Texas:

TDPS Abuse Hotline: 800-252-5400 https://www.dfps.texas.gov/Contact_Us/report_abuse.asp

Texas Dept. of Criminal Justice – Victim Services: 800-848-4282 https://www.tdcj.texas.gov/ks_victim.html

Texas Youth Hotline: 800-989-6884 https://www.dfps.texas.gov/youth-helpline/ 

Dallas County (and surrounding area):

The Family Place: 214-941-1991 http://www.familyplace.org/ 

Dallas Area Rape Crisis Center:  972-641-RAPE (7273) https://www.dallasrapecrisis.org/

Genesis Women’s Shelter: 214-389-7700 https://www.genesisshelter.org/

Parkland Hospital Victim Intervention Program/Rape Crisis Support Center: 214-590-0430 https://www.parklandhealth.org/vip-rape-crisis-center

Dallas Domestic Violence Task Force: https://dallascityhall.com/government/citycouncil/district13/dvtf/Pages/default.aspx  

Hope’s Door New Beginnings Center: (972) 276-0057 https://hdnbc.org/ 

The Salvation Army (DAL): 214-424-7208 https://salvationarmyntx.org/north-texas/

Dallas Mental Crisis Hotlines: MetroCare Services 214-330-7722 https://www.metrocareservices.org/

Suicide & Crisis Center 214-828-1000 https://www.sccenter.org/

Contact Counseling and Crises Lines  972-233-2233 (adult), 972-233-8336 (teen)

Dallas Substance Recovery Resource Council 214-522-8600 info@dallascouncil.org

Collin County:

Collin County Children’s Advocacy Center: (972) 633-6600 http://www.caccollincounty.org/

Collin County Substance Abuse Program 972-548-5570 ccsubabpc@collincountytx.gov https://www.collincountytx.gov/Services/Health-Care-Services/substance-abuse-program

Tarrant County:

The Salvation Army (FTW): 817-344-1800 https://salvationarmyntx.org/north-texas/mabee-social-services-center/

The Salvation Army FTW Northside Corps: 817-624-3111 https://salvationarmyntx.org/north-texas/northside-community-center/

Safe Haven (Tarrant): 877-701-7233 https://www.safehaventc.org/

Denton County:

Denton County Mental Health Center: 800-762-0157

Friends of the Family: 800-572-4031 https://dcfof.org/

Denton County United Way 940-566-2688 https://www.unitedwaydenton.org/

Denton County Child Advocacy Hotline: 972-894-8463