As women, we’ve all had those moments when we haven’t felt particularly safe (I wonder if men get that?).
Night time in particular can make us fearful – being home alone and hearing strange noises (thank goodness I have a cat that I can blame it on!).
Or waiting somewhere for our lift to arrive, and feeling distinctly uneasy.
But we can also feel unsafe in daylight hours, and with good reason. I’ve been approached by drunks while sitting by myself in the Mall; and even Miss 20 had a bit of a scary incident on public transport a couple of years ago.
What can a woman do?
5 Personal Safety Awareness Tips for Women
Some years back I attended a women’s safety seminar – it was so long ago I don’t even remember where it was held, or who the speaker was. I *did* however take notes, which I re-discovered recently and thought they were worth sharing.
Contrary to popular thought, personal safety awareness is NOT about carrying pepper spray in your bag, or taking lessons in self-defense (though you can if you want to)!
Instead, it is about learning tips so we can go about our daily lives, without fear and trepidation. It would be a real shame if any woman felt she had to curtail her activities, because she felt unsafe.
So here are some of the tips I picked up …
- 1 – Don’t Look Like a Victim – Use body language to project a strong, confident image (even if you are bluffing!). Walk with purpose – head up, and a confident stride. That means – don’t keep your eyes glued to your phone!
If you should feel nervous about somebody near you, one tool to try is eyelining – very brief, but very strong eye contact for approximately half a second. These tactics communicate that you are aware of the person, and that you are not frightened of them. - 2 – Don’t Panic About the “Rules” – We’ve all heard them: “hold your bag close”; “park under a streetlight”; “don’t walk at night”; “don’t walk alone”; “don’t dress provocatively”; “change your walking route frequently”. While they may be great personal safety rules in theory, the reality is, they aren’t always practical, and can be restrictive. What if there isn’t any parking under a streetlight?
Certainly keep “the rules” in mind, and make smart decisions. If you’ve just withdrawn $1000 out of the ATM, for example, you’re not going to dangle your bag loosely – you’ll want to hold it close to you!
If Your Personal Safety is Threatened
If something DOES happen – you have two advantages over your attacker: the element of surprise; and your commitment to your safety. Here are some tips to try:
- 3 – Scream! But not just any girlie scream – make it an animalistic, maniacal, primeval ROAR. Commit to that scream, and the strength of it will take your attacker by surprise. Plus, it will release adrenaline and strength in your body.
You could even go so far as to practise your roar half a dozen times (somewhere that nobody can hear you!). This will prove to yourself that you CAN do it, as well as embedding it in your muscle memory. - 4 – Remember the three vulnerable areas – the eyes, the front of the throat, and the old standby, the groin. Again, practise the “grab, twist and pull” with all your might! This is not the time for lady like behaviour. Spit (it will blind and/or slow them down), and go for one of those vulnerable areas.
- 5 – Practise saying NO – like you mean it. You can start with telemarketers and hawkers on the street corner; then next time you’re at the shops and they ask to check your bag, respond firmly: “No, you can’t check my bag”. Just like they have the right to ask, you have the right to refuse.
I’m so glad that I not only attended that personal safety awareness session all those years ago, but that I took notes so that now I can not only remind myself, but help educate other women.
Personal safety awareness for women should not be about turning your home into a fortress, or never going out after dark again. Instead, be confident and live your life!
Have you ever had an incident when you felt unsafe – and how did you handle it? Do you have any personal safety awareness tips to add here?
