YOU HAVE THE POWERWhat Can You Do?

If your partner tries to hurt you, your children, or anyone else or threatens to hurt them, you should call 911 or your local police right away.

Once the police arrive, you should be prepared to tell them:

• What happened and who was involved
• Where the suspect is
• If a weapon was involved, what it was, and where it is now
• If you or someone else was injured
• If this has happened before.

The patrol officer who responds to your call will investigate and write a report on the incident. They may do one or more of the following things:

• They may arrest the suspect or get a warrant for their arrest.
• They may help you get an order of protection (see pages 17-19 of When Violence Hits Home).
• They may provide you with information about local shelters and counseling options (see pages 30-39 of When Violence Hits Home).
• They may call for a police detective who specializes in domestic violence cases. The detective may interview everyone involved in the incident, collect physical evidence, help obtain a warrant or order of protection, or help the patrol officer arrest the suspect.
• They may call for a domestic violence counselor if your local police department has one. The counselor will talk with you about what just happened, helping you calm down and making sure you are okay. They may provide you with short-term counseling at little to no cost, help you with safety planning (see pages 22-23 of When Violence Hits Home), connect you with a shelter, or help you find other help you may need.