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Permanent Page
Periodically, I receive
this by email but because of its important message I feel it deserves
a permanent page here. – EditorJackie
Safety Tips for
Women
PLEASE NOTE: The following information is provided courtesy of Peggy
Whipple. Her brother is a police officer and this is his report on a
personal safety workshop he attended.
TIP: The elbow is the strongest point on your body. If you are
close enough to use it, do!
TIP: If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car, kick out the
taillights, put your arm through the hole, and wave frantically. The
driver will not be able to see you, but everyone else will. This
maneuver has saved lives.
Last night I attended a personal safety workshop, and it jolted me. It
was given by an amazing man who has been a bodyguard for famous
celebrities like Farrah Fawcett and Sylvester Stallone. He works for
the FBI, and teaches hand-to-hand combat to police officers and Navy
Seals. This man has seen it all, and he knows a lot. His topic was How
to Avoid Being the Victim of a Violent Crime.
The instructor recited some statistics regarding just how much random
violence has escalated in recent years, and it's truly alarming.
Something like 99% of us will be exposed to or become a victim of a
violent crime. Here are some of the most important points that I
gleaned from his presentation:
The top three reasons women are easy targets for random acts of
violence:
1. Lack of Awareness. You must know where you are and what's going on
around you.
2. Body Language. Keep your head up, swing your arms, and stand up
straight.
3. Wrong Place, Wrong Time. Don't walk alone in an alley, or drive in
a bad neighborhood at night.
Women have a tendency to get into their cars after shopping, eating,
working, etc, and just sit there updating their checkbook, making a
list, etc.. Do not do this. The predator will be watching you, and
this is the perfect opportunity for him to get into the passenger seat
and put a gun to your head. As soon as you get into your car, lock all
the doors and leave.
When getting into your car
in a parking lot or parking garage:
1. Be aware. Look around you, look into your car, look at the
passenger side floorboard, and look in the back seat.
2. If you are parked next to a large van, enter your car from the
passenger door. Most serial killers attack their victims by pulling
them into their vans while the women are attempting to get into their
cars.
3. Look at the car parked on the driver side of your vehicle and/or
the passenger side. If a male is sitting alone in the seat closest to
your car, walk back into the mall, your workplace, etc., and have a
security guard or policeman escort you back to your vehicle. It is
always better to be safe than sorry.
Always take the elevator instead of the stairs. (Stairwells are
horrible places to be alone and the perfect crime spot).
1. Do not get onto an elevator if the person already there looks
strange.
2. If you get onto the elevator on, say, the 25th floor, and a
suspicious looking man gets on at the 22nd floor, get off when he gets
on.
If a predator has a gun and you are not under his control, always run.
1. Police make only 4 of 10 shots at a distance of 3 to 9 feet from
their intended target. This is due to stress.
2. The chances of the predator hitting you are 25 to 1. Even if you
are struck, chances are it will not be a vital organ. Run.
Women are known for showing sympathy. Predators count on this.
1. The serial killer Ted Bundy was a handsome, well-educated man, who
always played on the sympathies of unsuspecting women. He walked with
a cane or limped, and often asked for "help" in getting into his
vehicle or with his vehicle—and then he abducted his next victim.
2. One young lady came out of a mall and was walking to her car when
she noticed two older ladies, a police car, and several empty handicap
parking spaces. As she neared her car, a man parked several rows away
started calling her to come over and help him close his passenger side
door. He was sitting in the driver's seat and claimed to be
handicapped. He continued calling until she turned and headed back
into the mall. Then the driver began cursing at her. Meanwhile, the
young lady wondered why the driver had not sought assistance from
either the two ladies or the police officer, and why he was not parked
in a handicap space. As she neared the mall entrance, she met two male
friends who were coming out of the mall, and she told them what had
just happened. She turned to point out the car, and just then another
man moved from the back seat to the front seat and the car sped away.
Don't get caught in this trap.
Tips for saving your life when you find yourself in a violent
situation:
1. React immediately. If you are driving, crash your car at 5 mph. If
you are in the passenger seat, look for the right moment to gouge the
driver's eyes
2. Resist. Do not go along with your abductor. Don't give up—you do
not want to be taken to a crime scene.
Get a cell phone. For $20/month you can have a cell phone that is
programmed to dial only 911.
Automobile breakdowns. Make every effort to avoid a breakdown by
always keeping your car in good working order.
1. If your car breaks down, lock your doors. If you have a cell phone,
use it to call for help.
2. Always keep a blanket, warm clothes, a pair of boots, and a
flashlight in your car.
3. If it's in the middle of a business day, turn on your emergency
flashers and walk to safety.
4. It it's late at night/early in the morning, put on your warm
clothing and walk to a well-lit area. Predators roam the highways
looking for women sitting in broken down vehicles.
5. If you are on a desolate stretch of road, put on your warm clothing
and get as far away as possible from the car. Hide behind a bush,
tree, etc. away from the car.
Physical defenses for use against a violent predator:
1. Eyes. The eyes are the most vulnerable part of the body. Forcefully
jab your fingers into his eyes
2. Neck. You must know where to grip, and you must have the strength
to cut off his breath.
3. Knees. This is another very vulnerable area. Use a swift kick to
bring down the predator.
4. CAUTION: An attack on any of these areas, if not done swiftly and
forcefully, may backfire.
If you are walking alone at night—which you should never do—and
someone is following or chasing you:
1. Scream "FIRE!" Screaming "Help" will probably not provide any
assistance, since people generally want to avoid trouble. Screaming
"Fire" will draw a crowd.
2. Run.
3. Find an obstacle and run around it.
4. As a last resort, crawl under a car. This maneuver has saved lives,
but it must be practiced to be effective.
As a general rule, while in any type of business establishment (bar,
store, restaurant, gas station, etc.), keep a safe distance between
you and everyone else around you.
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