Women's Safety
Posted: Sunday, September 25, 2011
by Octavia Hansen
Octavia Hansen
It's sometimes a mean world out there. Every woman knows it. The statistics for abuse and assault are considerably more for women. Gals, you don't have to be paranoid but you should be prepared. A little forethought goes a long way.
1. Lock everything. No matter what -- lock it. Lock your front door. Lock your windows. Lock the back door. Always lock your car doors. Lock your shed. Lock your bathroom door when you are inside. Now that you have locked everything, know where your keys are. Have a secret set of house keys where someone can get them and check if you are away. I used to live in an apartment and my friend lived in the next building. Her keys were in my flower pot, and mine in hers - no one else was gonna find any keys they could use. No one had to wait if they lost or forgot their keys. Also have keys with a friend, a real friend who won't mind if it's late and you can trust them with your entire life and house. I'm always amazed how many people do not have spare keys or keep their spare keys handy.
3. If you are threatened for your wallet and/or purse, DO NOT HAND IT OVER. THROW IT one way and RUN the other. They are interested in the goods and their own escape. They will go after the stuff.
4. EVERY TIME you leave your car, look into the windows to see if anything attractive is in sight. It's amazing when you walk by other vehicles you will see cameras, cel phones, bags, boxes, packages and other items worth stealing in plain sight. All it takes is a hammer and five seconds to hit a jackpot in a parked car. Carry a large sheet, blanket or tarp and hide everything. Criminals have been quoted saying they only break into places where there is something to steal. No one will go through all that trouble on a guess that there is something valuable.
5. EVERY TIME you return to your car look around. Don't just look at your car, look where you are parked. Is someone standing next to your car? Don't assume they are standing next to their car. Is someone in the next vehicle watching, reading or dialing? Again, you don't know if they are watching you. Check around the car briefly to see if anything has changed. Flat tire? Window broken? You'd be surprised how many never noticed until they got into their car. And again, if something feels wrong LEAVE! Go back where you came from, get a security guard or a friend and return to your car. Guards would rather report it was nothing instead of a crime scene.
If you are parked next to a big van, enter your car from the passenger door. Most serial killers attack their victims by pulling them into their vans while the women are attempting to get into their cars.
6. Women have a tendency to get into their cars after shopping, eating, working, etc., and just sit (doing their checkbook, or making a list, etc.) DON'T DO THIS! A predator will be watching you, and this is the perfect opportunity to get in on the passenger side, put a gun to your head, and tell you where to go. AS SOON AS YOU GET INTO YOUR CAR, LOCK THE DOORS AND LEAVE.
7. Every car thief says they entered an unlocked vehicle. Again, they go on speed. The split second they find a car locked, they head for the next car. With electronic keys so easy to lock from a distance, lock your car EVERY TIME you exit. That "just a second" dash from the car into anywhere is all it takes for someone to steal your ride, and everything in it -- including identification, valuables and sometimes pets and children.
8. Should you find yourself in your car with a gun to your head, DO NOT DRIVE WHERE THEY TELL YOU. Stomp on the gas, then wreck the car into a post, another car or a wall. Your air bag will save your life. Then get away from the car.
6. Take the elevator or escalator in a public place. Avoid stairwells. These dark, isolated, limited areas are ready for a crime.
7. When the elevator doors open and you don't like the look of the company (a lone man or a mean looking group), don't get on. Even if you are late and only going one or two floors. There will always be another elevator. If someone gets in you don't like, put your hand in the elevator doors and get out.
8. If someone is holding a gun and you can break away -- RUN! Even when someone is firing at you, in the excitement and movement, the shots will rarely hit the target, and if you are hit, it will probably not be in a vital organ. Run a zig-zag, not a straight line. Even if they are running after you, you'll be harder to catch. And make noise while you are running.
9. If a knife pulled, do not use your hands against this. If at all possible, take off a shoe as your defense weapon. If you have a purse or jacket, use that against the knife. If you can, get away, a knife has to be used at close contact. And be sure to make noise.
10. When trying to attract attention in a possible violent situation, yell FIRE! Somehow, people respond to that faster than RAPE, MURDER or just a scream. Again, you can always say you are wrong later. And if all else fails and you need instant attention and help, pull down on a fire alarm. You can excuse yourself later if it comes to that.
Ladies, much as we want to be loved and protected, our very nature makes us vulnerable to crime. You can still be a nice person, but save it for the right situation. Paranoid people live a long time.
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