In light of recent attacks on women in the City of Santa Fe, the Sheriff's Office is purchasing advertisements in local papers with tips on personal safety. We will also be placing these and additional tips on our web site at www.santafesheriff.com.
TIPS FOR ENSURING YOUR PERSONAL SAFETY
Always be aware of your surroundings--especially at night. When parking, walking or returning to your car, remain in well-lit and populated areas.
Wear sneakers if possible for extra mobility.
Be watchful – who is out there and what is going on. Keep your head up. Make quick eye contact with those around you and be observant of passing vehicles. Do not become distracted by talking on a cell phone or listening to an iPod/similar device.
Avoid walking alone late at night. Attempt to walk with people that you are familiar with.
Keep a whistle within reach. If you feel threatened, use the whistle to signal to residents that you need assistance. Yelling ‘Fire!” “Help!” and/or “”Rape!” as you are being assaulted also signals people to assist you.
Hold your car keys in your hand to use as a weapon against an attacker.
Carry a cell phone with you.
Call ahead to your destination to let them know that you are on your way. Make sure they expect you at a certain time, so that they may look out for you upon your arrival or will know to look for you if you do not arrive.
Walk with confidence. Be assertive – do not let anyone violate your space. Trust your instincts. Accept the fact anyone can be a victim of crime– do not simply assume "IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN TO ME."
Believe that if an unarmed attacker confronts you, you may be able to scare, distract, or even incapacitate the person enough to escape.
If you think that someone is following you, switch direction or cross the street. Walk toward an open store, restaurant or lighted house.
Finally an attack is a horrific experience however the sooner you report an attack the better chance we in law enforcement have of catching and bringing to justice the suspect. Law Enforcement and the media make extreme efforts to keep victims identity's from being published in order to protect them from further trauma.
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5 comments:
Thank you for your continuing support to make the women of Santa Fe safe!
Instead of "Personal Safety Tips", this could be named, "Don't Leave Home With Your Vagina". Why are women always expected modify their behavior because of male violence?
Instead of women restricting their behavior, I think that, until these rapists are behind bars, there should be a curfew for men. No men out after dark. Period.
P.S. Any woman who followed all these tips would meet the clinical defination of paranoia.
I feel the need to "ditto" both commenters. It's so freaking sad that a woman can't feel safe in this town, in this state, in this country.
The only thing I have to add is from personal experience: if attacked, don't be afraid, be lethal. If there's any rage within you, call upon it and do whatever it takes not just to hurt, but to kill. It's your life at stake -- be ready, willing, and able to fight for it.
And in truth, it's not just YOUR life at stake. Taking your attacker out will do for other women what the justice system in this country will not: remove a rapist/murderer from the streets for good.
MildChild
PS: If you don't feel ready, willing, and or able, then do whatever it takes to get there.
My family is chock full of law enforcement, and I was fortunate to be taught personal safety, self defense, and firearm safety and use from a very early age.
If you've not been so fortunate, take matters in your own hands. You have the legal right to carry, and there are self defense and firearm safety classes available to all of us.
The world being what it is, we must all take responsibility for our safety and our lives.
MildChild
Hi everyone! These are some very good tips for personal safety! As a woman living alone in a large city I practice these tips regularly. :) I’ve been a victim of a physical crime (including a firearm) myself and have stepped up my own security quite a bit as of late.
My brother in law who’s in law enforcement recommended I buy a Tazer since I work the closing shift in a part of town that isn’t as safe as I’d like it to be. I ended up purchasing a tazer from www.securityprousa.com. I was pretty surprised by this site since they also offered a ton of Homeland Security Products. Anyone feeling unsafe should stop by this site some time. Keep those eyes open people!
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