Studies have shown that 1 out every 4 women will be sexually assaulted in her lifetime. For this reason, increasing personal well-being has to start and end with awareness. Awareness of the realities of life, awareness of your surroundings, awareness of the tools you have available to protect yourself.
I have put together a list of 10 things a woman can do to protect her and decrease the odds of being attacked.
1) Be aware of your surroundings, always focus and understand where you are. When walking to your car in a parking lot, observe the cars and people around you.
2) Trust your Instincts!! If “something” gives you a bad feeling, take heed to it. It’s better to be safe than to be sorry. That voice in your head was put there for a reason
3) Understand the self-defense tools you have readily available. For example, your keys are a perfect gouging weapon. Do you have mace in your purse?
4) Take a self-defense class. Even if it’s a one-day tutorial, if you remember one thing that saves your life, it was worth it.
5) Be careful of your where you leave your drink, there are an ever increasing amount of Sexual assaults that occur as a result of the victim being drugged in bars. Never lose sight of your beverage.
6) NEVER, EVER park in a badly lit area. Even if you have to walk an additional block, it’s just not worth taking the chance.
7) Never walk in dark, desolate areas. Though we all love a great hike, it’s not something we should do alone. There are too many unknowns. Take a friend.
8) Monitor your mail and how it is addressed. Criminals have become more savvy when comes to surveillance. Shred anything that you are throwing away.
9) Do not leave doors unlocked or alarm deactivated when home. An unlocked door is a major point of entry for many home invasions. Take the extra second to lock the door. Also, use the “at home” setting on your alarm.
10) Plan for the worse, what would you do if someone grabbed you from behind? What would you do if someone accosted you in a parking lot? In this case, failing to prepare is preparing to fail. Think about these scenarios and what you would do…
The most important thing to keep in mind is to be aware of your surroundings. We live in a tough world and there are people who wish you harm. I hope this post spurs some thought on the topic of self. I hope that you never have to use anything I recommend!!
