You may have already seen or heard of these Personal Defense Tips, as many of them make the rounds on the internet. Nonetheless, we print them here that you may have them at hand. A re-read is never a bad idea.
- The elbow is one of the strongest parts of your body. If you are in danger, and close enough to use it, do so!
- If an assailant asks for your wallet and/or purse, DO NOT HAND IT TO HIM. Toss it away from your person. Chances are that he is more interested in your wallet and/or purse than in you, and he will chase it instead. Then run as fast as your legs will carry you in the other direction to get you out of harm’s way.
- If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car, you can kick out the back taillights, stick your arm out the hole, and attract as much attention as possible. To women, it is a little known fact that this can be done, but it can. The driver won’t see you, but everyone else will, and it could save your life.
- Never get into your parked car without immediately locking the door. As enticing as it may be, avoid entering your car and working on something, such as your checkbook or your makeup, if you have not first locked your door. If you are in a parking lot, these habits are a bad idea anyway, so avoid them altogether. If a predator happens to be watching, you provide him with the perfect opportunity to get in through the passenger side of your car or to otherwise pull a knife, firearm or other weapon against you. In fact, if your car is in a parking lot, regardless of where the parking lot may be and whether or not you are familiar and comfortable with your surroundings, get in your car, lock the doors and leave.
- The following are a few safety rules about getting into your car in a parking lot or parking garage:
- Be aware: look around you; look into your car and check the passenger side floor, the back seat and the back seat floor.
- If you are parked next to a large van, go back into the building you came from and ask someone to walk with you to your car. Your other choice would be to enter your car through the passenger door, avoiding the van completely, although it is safer to get someone to escort you.
- Always look at cars parked next to your vehicle. Be aware of your surroundings. If an unknown male is sitting alone in
the seat nearest to your car, you may want to return to the building and ask for an escort.
- Avoid “empty” stairwells or long, empty hallways at malls or buildings you are unfamiliar with. These are fertile ground for predators looking for targets, and are NOT good places to be caught alone. They are perfect crime spots.
- If a predator has a gun and you are not under his control, ALWAYS RUN! Statistically, the predator will only hit you – a running target – 4 in 100 times, and the potential for any of these shots hitting a vital organ is rare. The odds are in your favor. RUN! Always avoid going with an assailant to a secondary location. This could spell disaster.
- As much as possible, without compromising your values, never allow your care and sympathies to overrule your “alert signals.” Make good use of and follow your intuition. Danger signals are danger signals whether or not your social etiquette deems you act otherwise. Always remember that to fail to listen to your inner voice may get you raped or killed. Ted Bundy, the serial killer, was a good-looking, well-educated man who played on the sympathies of unsuspecting women. He walked with a cane or a limp, and often asked for “help” into his vehicle or with his vehicle – an opportunity he used to abduct his next victim.
- Always maintain a relaxed awareness of the environment you find yourself within. If you sense something is wrong, trust your senses, and raise your level of awareness in due regard. Predators are keen to spot women who are lost or preoccupied. Remember that a predator will instinctively elect easy prey. Don’t be one.
- Refuse to sample perfumes in shopping center or mall parking lots. Assailants have been known to use “perfume cards” with chemicals that cause unconsciousness to disable potential victims in order to perpetrate a rape or theft.
In closing, we ask that you share these Tips with your friends, family and co-workers. Prevention is one of the greatest keys to personal safety.
Women's Personal Defense CenterSM offers introductory self defense classes for women, free of charge, about four times per year.
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