It really does not take much effort to keep ourselves safe. A few simple actions can mean the difference between becoming a victim and getting home safely.
In these troubled economic times we are all on edge. Some statistics are showing the crime rate to be rising and many attribute that to our economic meltdown. Less work available,
less money in everyone’s pockets and some people taking drastic measures to get money. Too many people are taking the “Desperate times call for desperate measures” saying to a whole new level by resorting to acts of crime. Do not fall victim to a crime.
Below are the top 3 things you can do to protect yourself from becoming a victim.
1/ Always Be Aware of Your Surroundings – We have all heard this little nugget of wisdom but too often we fail to practice it. Practice being more observant of things and people around you. If you get into the habit of being aware of what is going on around you, you will be able to detect potential dangerous situations and avoid them.
As an example, picture the last time you were at a shopping mall or other busy parking lot. Did you leave the building and start walking to your car, searching around in your purse to get your keys out and kept looking at the ground as you approached your car? Most of us do exactly that. If we would have been more aware of our surroundings we might have seen the suspicious character staring at us and see him start to follow us to our car. When we noticed him we could have changed direction and gone back into the building and watched until the suspicious person had left the area.
Always keep your head up, walk confidently and be looking around when you are walking. Give off the attitude that you know where you are going and you are on a mission.
2/ Play the “What If” Game – What is the “What If” game? It works like this; as you are walking down the street you say to yourself “What if somebody comes out of that alley up ahead and has a knife. What should I do?” or “What if the guy standing at the corner asks me for money, what should I do?”
You can also use the “What If” game when driving. “What if that car in front of me stops suddenly? What can I do?” “What if the driver approaching me in the other lane turns in front of me. What should I do?”
When you play the “What If” game you will not be surprised when something does occur and you will have already thought about what your action options are. You will be much safer.
3/ Be Prepared – Always expect the best to happen but be prepared for the worst. If you are surprised and attacked, make sure you are able to defend yourself. It is a good thing to carry a personal protection product on you at all times. Of course you hope you never have to use it but if you find yourself in a dangerous situation you will be thankful that you have one. Many personal protection products are easily concealable and easy to use. You have choices between using pepper spray, a stun gun, a TASER or a personal alarm. They all have the same purpose, and that is to temporarily disable an attacker so that you can escape to safety. Get one that fits your comfort level and carry it with you at all times.
It is very important that no matter what personal protection device you decide to purchase, that you become familiar with how it works before you actually need it.
By practicing the above three tips you will increase your odds of staying safe and not fall victim to an accident or crime. Remember, “What if?”
