The following National Spousal Abuse FAQs are provided by the Legal Studies Program.

Funded by the Department of Justice Canada.

Warning: 

The contents of these FAQs are intended as general legal information only. If you have
a personal problem, please consult a lawyer.



My husband is physically abusive towards me, but I do not feel able to leave him. How 
can I better protect myself at home?

If you feel that you cannot leave an abusive situation at this point in time you can still protect 
yourself by considering the following:

tell a neighbour or friend to call the police if they see or hear anything
seek medical attention for any injuries. You do not have to state who injured you, but it is 
better for your treatment if you tell the doctor how your injury occurred.
keep records about your injuries and other times you are abused.
make a plan as to how you might leave and where you would go.
ensure that emergency numbers are close to hand or memorised.
educate yourself as to the legal remedies you have in your province, e.g. family violence 
laws which will grant emergency orders, criminal offences that your husband could be arrested 
for, support and custody laws.
save some money if possible.
do things to make you feel better such as seek counselling or learn new skills.
consider persuading your partner to seek counseling.