Here
is a list of suggestions to help you protect yourself.
Think
through how you usually react to crisis situations. Do
you flee, freeze or fight?
Think
of a few past examples to see if there is a pattern.
You can change how you react by practicing a different
response if needed.
Talk
to others about ways to handle confrontations and rehearse
alternatives.
There
is no right or wrong way to react. Every situation is
different. The best response depends on a combination
of factors, such as location, the assailant, presence
of weapons, your personal responses, etc.
Walking
- Plan and use the safest and most direct route.
- Choose well-lighted streets at night
- Stay alert to your surroundings; look confident and purposeful.
- Become familiar with businesses that are open late.
- If you feel uneasy, go directly to a place where there
are other people.
If
you are being followed by someone in a car: Turn around
and walk quickly in the opposite direction. Try to obtain
the license plate number and a description of the car
and call the police.
If
you are being followed by someone on foot: Turn around
to let the person know you see them, immediately cross
the street and walk or run toward place where there is
likely to be other people. Call the police or get someone
else to call for you.
In
cases involving verbal harassment: Ignore it and walk
away. If you are alone at a bus stop, proceed to the
next stop if there are other people there.
Your
Car
- Drive with car doors locked and windows closed. If possible,
carry a cell phone.
- Keep your wallet, purse and valuables out of view while
driving. Do not leave them next to you on the seat.
- If you see another motorist in trouble, do not stop.
Call the police for assistance.
- Park in well-lighted areas. Look around before you get
out of your car.
- Put valuables and packages in the trunk or out of sight
before parking.
- Always lock the doors, no matter how soon you plan to
return.
- When returning to your car, have your key in hand, look
inside before unlocking and entering the car.
- If someone is following you, go to the nearest police
station and honk your horn, or go to a gas station or business.
Do not go home or pull over or get out.
At
Home
- If there is a stranger at the door, never indicate that
you are home alone.
- Do not open the door to anyone you don’t know without
verifying their identity.
- If someone wants to use your telephone, offer to make
the call yourself while the person waits outside.
- Never let a stranger through an apartment security entrance.
- Do not give information to “wrong number” callers.
Ask, “What number are you calling?”
- Never tell an unknown caller that you are at home alone.
- Verify the intent and identity of any person calling
for information about you by calling the person’s
agency or workplace.
- Hang up immediately if you receive threatening or harassing
phone calls. Do not say anything. If the calls continue,
keep a record of the date, time and content of each call.
Notify the police and phone company.
Face
to Face Confrontations
When faced with danger, trust yourself. Your single most
effective weapon is your judgment. Rely on it to choose
what you think is the best response at the time, whether
it is to:
- Run
- Stall
- Not resist
- Negotiate
- Verbally assert yourself
- Scream to attract attention
- Distract or divert attention
- Physically resist—fight off the assailant
Always
evaluate your resources and options. Continue to assess
the situation while it is occurring. If the first strategy
chosen is not working, try something else.
The
National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence provides
training, consulting and advocacy. At the local, state,
regional and national levels, the National Center promotes
community collaboration as the model approach to problem
solving for domestic and sexual violence issues. The
National Center collaborates with law enforcement, legal
system agencies, advocacy organizations, social service
agencies, the military and other community entities to
integrate their efforts to end domestic and sexual violence.
With funding from the Office on Violence Against Women
(OVW), and in partnership with the Federal Law Enforcement
Training Center, the National Sheriffs’ Association
and the National Center for Rural Law Enforcement, the
National Center trains law enforcement officers on their
response to domestic and sexual violence. In addition,
the National Center’s award-winning web site (www.ncdsv.org)
is a resource on a variety of issues related to violence
against women.
