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== First steps ==
#Make sure Ensure that you and your children are safe. This may mean leaving the family home for awhile and staying with friends or staying in a transition house. (Look To find a local transition house, try a Google search for "<tt>transition house</tt>" plus your community — e.g., "<tt>transition house victoria bc</tt>." Alternatively, look in the Yellow Pages under "Crisis Centres," or call contact [[VictimLINK]]. The local police station can also give you information about transition houses and other victim services.)#Consider whether you need a ''safety plan''. A safety plan outlines steps you can take to protect yourself and your children. Having a safety plan means you know how to get help if your partner is abusing you. It is a good idea to ask a friend, advocate, or victim service worker to help you make a safety plan. For information on making a safety plan, see "[http://www.clicklaw.bc.ca/resource/2411 Live Safe — End Abuse: Safety Planning]."
#If the abuse involves physical or sexual violence, consider reporting it to the police. Staff at local transition houses and victim services groups can support you in doing this. If you want the abuser to stay away from you, you can ask the police to ask a judge for a <span class="noglossary">''no contact order''</span> to prevent or limit the abuser from having <span class="noglossary">contact</span> with you or your children. Ask the police to give you <span class="noglossary">contact</span> information for a victim services worker.
#If you need a lawyer but cannot afford one on your own, see if you qualify for [[Legal Aid Representation|legal aid <span class="noglossary">representation</span>]]. If you qualify, the Legal Services Society <span class="noglossary">will</span> appoint a lawyer to advise you and represent you in Family Court. Victims are not usually entitled to <span class="noglossary">representation</span> by lawyers in criminal court.