When you first check into a shelter or a women's refuge, you do not have to give them your personal information.  You can make up a name to go by, particularly on paperwork.  This may not be the case when getting legal or financial help, but in the immediate moment, it's okay to be extra cautious. Never disclose where a shelter is located to others.  If you tell your abuser, your family members or an abuser's family members, or people who are friends with you and your abuser where a shelter is located, you are endangering your own life and the lives of other women and children in the shelter. You may have to sign paperwork saying that you will not disclose the location of a shelter before an organization will take you to the secret location. If you have a job, talk to your employer about making changes to ensure your safety.  Some states have laws that require employers to make reasonable accommodations for survivors of abuse. Find out if you can change locations, work different hours, or have extra personal security when traveling from your workplace to your vehicle. When you have moved to a new home, get an unlisted home phone number.  For mail, get a P.O. Box or ask the post office about your state's confidential address program. These steps will make it more difficult to track down your specific location. If you have children, be sure to talk to them about keeping their home address confidential and not sharing it with your abuser or with strangers. Any account you have online could be a window into personal information.  To be safe, change all of your passwords for any account; financial accounts, social media accounts, email accounts, etc.  In fact, you may want to disable social media accounts temporarily (or permanently) and change your email address. Some companies require only your Social Security Number and your mother's maiden name to access secure information.  If you were married to your abuser, he or she likely has this information.  Ask if the company offers any additional account protection, or provide an answer to security questions that is inaccurate (but that you still remember).  For example, you could provide your paternal grandmother's maiden name instead of your mother's.
استخدمي اسمًا مزيفًا. لا تفصحي عن مكان الملجأ. غيري عادات عملك. احصلي على رقم هاتف غير مسجل وعنوان سري. غيري كل كلمات مرورك. اطلبي حماية زائدة.