There are some steps you can take to help lower your risk of attack. This article will only cover safety tips for your car and outside. We will cover date rape prevention and home safety in future articles.

Some of these things you might already know but many women still ignore them
because they have the "it won’t happen to me" mentality. Sadly it can happen to
anyone so be on your guard and stay safer.

Here are some easy to follow safety tips to try and avoid being sexually
assaulted:

• Try and be aware of your surroundings.
• Try and always walk with a friend
• Walk in well lit areas only.
• This goes for dates and just out on the town fun – NEVER EVER leave your drink unattended. Date rape drugs are easy to find and can get you killed.
• Don’t get intoxicated – sounds silly but as a woman you are a target for sickos
  and quite frankly when drunk, judgment and safety go out the door.
• If you are being followed by a man – break out the mace or pepper
  spray if you have it, stay in lit areas and go into the first public place
  you find. keep looking back so the person knows you can’t be surprised and
  hopefully he will just go away
• If a driver pulls up and asks directions, don’t get too close to the
  car so you can’t be grabbed.
• Avoid passing too close to big bushes, dark doorways, alleys or any
  other places of concealment.
• Walk facing oncoming traffic to make it easier to be seen if help is
  needed
• Try to use the busier bus stops instead of the deserted ones.
• If you must frequently walk alone at night, vary your route often
• Don’t wear headphones while walking or jogging, even during the day in
  isolated areas you may not hear an attacker’s approach.
• If you plan to jog alone, stay in public areas also carry and personal
  alarm system and mace or pepper spray.
• If someone asks you for directions, and if you do choose to reply to
  them, remain at least 4 feet away.
• If meeting friends out, let them know the route you are taking and
  when you plan to arrive.
• Park in well lit areas Be extra cautious when parking in parking
  garages – try and park near the exit/entrance.
• Ask a coworker to walk with you to the parking garage if at night
• Try not to park next vans, you could be pulled into the van through
  the sliding door.
• Check your rear view mirror often and if you think you are being
  followed, never drive to your home or pull over in a deserted area. Drive
  straight to the nearest police station, fire station, gas station, friends
  home or other well lit building and honk your horn until help arrives.
• Have your keys in your hand while approaching your vehicle.
• Never pick up a hitchhiker no matter nice they look.
• Don’t stop to assist a disabled motorist instead call the police and
  ask them to go and help the motorist out.
• Check the back seat, floor and under the car before approaching and
  entering your vehicle.

These are just a few common sense tips that hopefully got you thinking. You brain is your best defense weapon, use it often and hopefully danger will never find you.

Remember to go with your gut feelings, if you feel uneasy there probably is a reason for it…get to safety.

This entry was posted on Friday, April 6th, 2007 at 4:24 pm and is filed under Women's Safety | . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.