Which step is part of a concise safety planning protocol for a survivor experiencing intimate partner violence?

Which step is part of a concise safety planning protocol for a survivor experiencing intimate partner violence?

• A. Identify a safe exit
• B. Schedule a court date
• C. Assess imminent danger
• D. Remove all contact information from devices

Answer: (C)

Safety planning in intimate partner violence starts with quickly judging how risky the situation is right now. Assessing imminent danger is the step that tells you if action is needed immediately—calling emergency services, getting to a safe place, and alerting trusted people. This urgent assessment guides the whole response, determining what must happen right away. Other options reflect important safety considerations, but they aren’t the immediate trigger for action: identifying a safe exit is a practical step, but it follows from recognizing danger; scheduling a court date concerns legal processes rather than how to stay safe in the moment; removing all contact information from devices can be helpful in some scenarios, yet it doesn’t by itself drive the immediate safety response.

Safety planning in intimate partner violence starts with quickly judging how risky the situation is right now. Assessing imminent danger is the step that tells you if action is needed immediately—calling emergency services, getting to a safe place, and alerting trusted people. This urgent assessment guides the whole response, determining what must happen right away. Other options reflect important safety considerations, but they aren’t the immediate trigger for action: identifying a safe exit is a practical step, but it follows from recognizing danger; scheduling a court date concerns legal processes rather than how to stay safe in the moment; removing all contact information from devices can be helpful in some scenarios, yet it doesn’t by itself drive the immediate safety response.