- Saahas
Building your own safety kit
Building Your Own Safety Kits
If you’re looking to build an emergency kit to help you as you leave a situation where you’ve faced violence or have been exposed to threats of violence, here are a few things you can consider saving in your bag. Leave your emergency bag hidden at home or with a trustworthy friend/relative. You could also have multiple bags in different locations to ensure that you can access one wherever you are. Do not leave it at your parents’ house if they are not fully behind you leaving. This is only an indicative list. Do remember that your own needs come first, so anything you deem necessary for your safety, self-care and priorities should be part of your kit.
Sets of spare clothes
Clean underwear
A toothbrush and toothpaste
Soap
A blanket
Some towels
Tissues / handkerchief
A Swiss Knife
Money as Cash
ATM / Debit Cards
Cheque Book
Phone numbers of friends and trusted relatives you can count on
Phone numbers and addresses of organisations which can help you
Originals and copies of important documents (personal identification, birth certificates, passport, driver’s license, school and medical records, title deeds for your properties, insurance papers, tax returns, banking documents)
Extra keys for your car and house
If you want to carry a safety kit with you wherever you go to deal with potential instances of violence and harassment in public spaces or other spaces you are privy to, it could comprise the following tools:
Tissues / handkerchief
Panic Button (tech-based or sound-based device, if you need one)
First aid kit
Pepper Spray (IF YOUR COUNTRY’S LAWS PERMIT IT)
Swiss Knife
Oral Rehydration Solution Sachets
Zip-lock bags in different sizes to save evidence
Sanitary pads / Tampons / Menstrual Cups
Disposable Underwear / Clean spare underwear
Wet Wipes
Dry Towel
Carry-on Water Bottle
Notebook
Pen / Pencils
Permanent Marker
Hand torch with batteries
Spare batteries
Spare phone with full charge
Functional ATM Card with a PIN
A pair of scissors
Elastic / Rubber bands