What you need to know to be proactive and avoid becoming a victim?

Answer 1

There are all sorts of things in society where a person can be a victim: * Home invasion * Rape * Sexual Abuse * Mental/Physical abuse * Abuse from a person on any brain altering drug such as alcohol or street drugs or even the misuse of certain medications. * Bullying * Threats from anyone in your life * Identity theft These are but a few. Here are some tips to stay as safe as possible: Things you can do to avoid becoming a victim: * Take up a self defense program. Learn the tricks and trade of protecting yourself. There are many ways a woman can over-come a man no matter how large he is. Although pepper spray is illegal I live in Canada and I take it with me when I go out alone. I hardly think the police are going to arrest you for having it and if it gives me time to get away from my attacker all the better. * Always be aware of your surroundings (keep off that cell phone) while walking or driving and be aware of what is going on around you. Drive with car doors locked! * Don't jog anywhere alone and keep those headphones out of your ears! More women have been raped because she had headphones on and didn't hear the perpetrator come up behind her. * Do not sit at bus stops that are surrounded by hedges or on a lonely stretch of road. If possible pay for a taxi or call a family member or friend to pick you up. Do not hitch hike! * Don't date strangers you have met at a party even if a friend of yours knows them. If you are attracted to each other then meet another time. Be careful of Date Rape Drugs in your drinks and don't leave your drink on the table while you are not there. If you make a mistake and leave your drink order a fresh one. Don't think it can't happen to you! Some young women are also using the Date Rape Drug on young men. * Sexual Abuse is to be reported and there are Abused Women's programs out there as well as programs for Abused Men. * Rape is the lowest form to demean a woman and although it's an extremely traumatic act women should try their best to report it (without shame) and should not cave into having a shower (which is a normal reaction) because it will wash all evidence away and the police need DNA. * Verbal Abuse is when someone is constantly putting you down and making you feel vulnerable as well as losing your confidence. Get rid of them! Rule of thumb ... when someone makes you feel bad 80% of the time it's time to get them out of your life. They are not your boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, wife or friend when they do this and they take up too much of your energy. Walk away! * Bullying at school, college or at the workplace should be reported to a Superior and if they don't listen tell someone else or press charges against them. * If you receive threats by email, on a website, my phone, cell, or by any other means report this to the police. Some people do go through with their threats. * Identity theft is extremely high. Do not go onto websites without knowing that website is safe. It is better to pay when your package comes than to pay over the internet if at all possible. Be wary of your ATM card when using it. Check your Visa statements and your bank statements on a regular basis. If you see something that doesn't look right report it to the banking institute immediately (you may have forgotten a purchase you made) but better safe than sorry. Internet: * Do not give out any personal information to sites you can't trust and that's difficult to prove. Never give your full name, address and if possible don't give out your Visa # unless you are certain the site you are on is safe. If you don't know the name of the person emailing you then delete it! * When carrying a purse cross the strap over your chest and don't let it dangle by your side of hang it on the arm of a chair in a restaurant where a thief can easily take your purse. If they succeed 'you no longer exist in society' until you get your ID's renewed. This means cancelling all banking accounts, ATM cards and Visa cards. To make it short 'if it sounds too good to be true it generally is!' Car Safety:* Always look in the back seat of your car before getting into it. Many perpetrators will lay low on the floor of the back seat and you may not see them even if the interior light goes on automatically. Drive with your doors locked! Never pick up strangers and if you feel they are in trouble or stranded use your cell phone to call for help for them. If you have car trouble, put the hood of your car up and then lock yourself in the car. Never get out of your car if a stranger stops. Carry a cell phone and call a tow truck or your spouse, family member or a friend. Never park beside a van in a parking lot. Often more than one man can lurk inside the van and when you are busy getting into your car they can grab you like grease lightening and off they go. Leave a mall with another group of people if you are shopping alone and whether it's daylight or dark it doesn't much matter these days. Criminals are getting more bold. If an individual is abducted and thrown into the trunk of a car then kick out the tail lights (police will notice and pull the driver over.) Also if you kick the tail lights out you can wave a piece of clothing to alert other drivers. If a man should lurk in your back seat hit the gas! This alerts other cars and police and hit the meridian or drive into a gas station. The perpetrator does not want to attract attention. This is a must before they get you onto a lonely stretch of road. Hopefully you are a person that is alert and will not become a victim. Jogging or Walking: * Never go alone! Stop using those headphones! Be aware who is around you. More women have been attacked and raped because she had headphones on and didn't hear her perpetrator come up behind her. Always go with a friend and if that is not possible do your jogging during daylight hours and in a busy area; do not jog in parks alone! If you have a dog take it with you! Home Invasion: * Locked screened doors and windows are not safe! Use your A/C if you have one. Be sure you have good locks on your doors. If necessary have decorative iron bars installed at the backside of your home. Use motion lights. * If you can have a dog then get one! The dog doesn't have to be large. On a program on TV a Home Invader said if he hears a small dog bark when he is going to enter into the home he would rather go to a home where there isn't a dog. He's tipping society off, so take heed. * Do not answer the door to any stranger even if they look alright to you. Home invaders have all sorts of tricks up their sleeve. Don't depend on that little hole you peer out of through your door because someone else could be hiding out of range. * If you need repairs done wait until your spouse is home and if you don't have one then have a male friend come over when the serviceman is coming. While most service people are fine, the Boston Strangler used gimmicks to get inside women's homes. Always be alert and aware of your surroundings and nix the headphones and cell calls while walking or jogging. Pay attention! Learn self defence and carry bear spray or pepper spray if you have too.