How To Feel Safe Around New Family?

[Leisel]

I moved in with a friend of mine and her family and tonight is my first night living here (so, I've slept over before, but not for a while, and I just moved in today) and I'm really scared to sleep here. They're all wonderful and have been nothing but kind and welcoming to me but they have this rule where they all go upstairs at a certain time at night and leave their phones downstairs as a rule, and that's a totally normal rule, but I'm really scared, because of things that have happened, I'm scared that they will hurt me at night when I'm upstairs and don't have my phone and I will be trapped and have nowhere to go. I don't know what to do about this or how to convince myself I am safe. Do you have any ideas, or can you relate?

 

[mary1979]

I do not understand this rule.
What are the reasons?

I'm guessing you dont feel safe enough with these people to explain your position and request an exemption from the rule.

I personally would not concede to it at all.

Buy a cheap second phone, and leave that downstairs with everyone else's.
Put yours on silent and keep it hidden.

 

[joeylittle]

Buy a cheap second phone, and leave that downstairs with everyone else's.
Put yours on silent and keep it hidden.

Or, the other way around - get an 'emergency' phone, a cheap disposable one, disable the ringer completely, and just leave it with your things, upstairs. You'll always know it's there and where it is - and if they for some reason find it, you can let them know that you respect their house rules, you just need access to an outside line for your own health and safety. I suspect the rule is more to do with not playing on the phone at bedtime - which you'd not be doing with a cheap throw-away, anyway.

 

[mary1979]

Or, the other way around - get an 'emergency' phone, a cheap disposable one, disable the ringer comp...

Ohh much more sane person idea haha.
(I was thinking 'bugger the idea of someone going through my phone when I'm not around! Slightly paranoid about my personal space I am huh)