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