My baby girl usually visits her father on some weekends, but what happened this time had my heart racing. Our daughter asked to talk to me over the phone and used our code word, alerting me that she needed a way out.

Here’s why having code words is an important trick to keep our kids safe. When I was a little girl, my mother taught me how to use a code word if I was in trouble and couldn’t speak up. As an adult, I decided to impart this brilliant method to my baby girl.

I figured she could use it to get out of sleepovers or if she had awkward hangouts. But I never imagined her needing to use it so soon.

So yesterday was like any other day or so I thought. As I sat in my kitchen, finishing my evening coffee, my phone rang. It was my ex-husband, Dave. Our relationship, once filled with warmth and affection, had grown strained over the years.