You don't have to do everything today, and you don't have to be ready to leave. The safest next step is usually a small one — and this chapter helps you take it.
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Start here
Start with the safest step
Reaching the end of this course is already a step — you now have words for what's happening, and that's where change begins. What comes next is yours to decide, at your pace.
One important thing first: if you are thinking about leaving, please know that leaving can be the most dangerous time. That isn't a reason to stay — it's a reason to plan, and to get specialist advice before you act, so you can do it as safely as possible.
Video 1
Your Next Steps to SafetyVideo coming soon. The full transcript is below — press “Read instead”.
Your Next Steps to Safety
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Narrator
You don’t have to have a plan for the whole future. You just need the next small step.
Maybe that’s telling one person you trust. Maybe it’s saving a helpline number under a different name. Maybe it’s quietly putting a few important documents somewhere safe.
None of these mean you’ve decided to leave. They just mean you’re a little more prepared, a little more in control.
And if you do decide to leave one day, you won’t have to work it out alone. There are people whose whole job is to help you plan it safely.
Whatever you do next, do it at your pace — and do it safely.
Planning ahead
Making a safety plan
A safety plan is simply a way of thinking ahead — so that if things get worse, or you need to leave quickly, you're ready. It helps whether you stay for now or decide to go.
An emergency bag
Pack it slowly, and hide it somewhere safe — with a trusted friend or family member, or somewhere the person won't look. Avoid mutual friends.
Documents — passport, visa or BRP, birth and marriage certificates, NI number, driving licence
Your children's documents, and a few of their things
Money — cash and bank cards
Spare keys (house and car)
A phone and charger
Medication you need
Clothes and toiletries for a few days
Any record of the abuse — messages, reports, a diary
If you can't safely take the original documents, photograph or copy them and send them to a private email only you can open — then delete the photos from your phone.
Your phone
Staying safe on your phone
If the person might check your phone, a few quiet habits keep you safer:
Don't use your own phone to seek support — use a friend's phone, a public phone, or a cheap pay-as-you-go phone kept hidden. Keep using your normal phone as usual, so nothing seems different.
Save helpline numbers under ordinary names, like “Dentist” or “School”.
Turn off location sharing, and block the person's friends and family on social media.
Remember the Safe Exit button and the Esc key on these pages leave instantly.
There is more on this, including how to clear your browser history, on the Find Support page.
A private first step
How the Clarespath tool helps
When you're ready, the Clarespath tool gives you a calm, private way to organise what's happening — before you speak to anyone. It's built for exactly this moment.
Choose your situation. Pick the pathway closest to what's happening — no legal words needed.
Answer general questions. Simple questions only. You never have to describe specific incidents.
See a private summary. It appears in your browser. Nothing is sent to anyone — not even to Clarespath.
Download only if it's safe. If your device is private, you can save it. If your phone is checked, don't — speak to a support worker first.
Share it with a professional. Show your summary to a solicitor, adviser or support worker so they understand your situation quickly.
Open the Clarespath tool.
Free, private, no account, nothing stored. You can stop at any time.
Only continue if it's safe to do so on this device.
Video 2
How to Use the Clarespath ToolVideo coming soon. The full transcript is below — press “Read instead”.
How to Use the Clarespath Tool
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The Clarespath tool is here to make one hard thing a little easier — putting your situation into words, before you have to say it out loud.
You choose the situation that fits you best. Then you answer a few general questions — nothing graphic, no detail you’re not comfortable with.
At the end, a simple summary appears, just in your browser. Nothing is sent anywhere, and no one receives a copy unless you choose to download and share it.
If your device is safe, you can save that summary and bring it to a solicitor or support worker — so you don’t have to explain everything from the start.
It’s not a test, and there are no wrong answers. It’s just a calmer first step.
Who to contact
People ready to help
National Domestic Abuse Helpline — 0808 2000 247Free · 24 hours · confidential · can help you find a refuge
Women's Aid webchatSafer than a call if your phone may be monitored · chat.womensaid.org.uk
Southall Black Sisters — 020 8571 0800Specialist support for migrant and minoritised women · immigration, NRPF, forced marriage
Rights of Women — immigration line — 020 7490 7689Free legal advice on immigration and domestic abuse · Mon & Thu
Police — 999 in danger, or 101 to reportYou have the right to protection whatever your status
A fuller list, including specialist and local services, is on the Find Support page.
Knowledge check
Planning, safely
Last one. These are the practical decisions that make the biggest difference.
Nothing here is scored, and no answer is recorded. If a wrong answer felt right, that is worth noticing — it is usually the belief doing the most damage.
Saved in your browser only, and cleared when you close this tab unless you have asked otherwise.
You've reached the end of the course. Whatever brought you here, you've spent this time understanding your situation more clearly — and that takes real strength.
There's no deadline, and you can come back to any chapter whenever you need it. You don't have to take the next step today. But when you're ready, it's here, and so is help.
This course is for information and understanding only. It is not legal advice and does not replace a solicitor, adviser, or support worker. If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 999. For 24-hour confidential support, call the National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247. Nothing on this page is stored or sent anywhere.