• Tell them you are concerned for their safety and acknowledge how scary the situation is
• Encourage them to talk about the abuse
• Listen and support their feelings without laying judgment
• Reassure them the abuse is not their fault
• Give the victim time to make decisions
• Encourage them to have a safety plan

Don't...

• Tell the victim what to do, when to leave or not
• Force them to go back and try to make the situation better
• Rescue the victim and make their life-changing decisions for them
• Talk to the abuser for the victim to help straighten things out
• Tell the victim to stay in the relationship to protect the children