subject: Personal Safety - 10 Ways To Stay Safe This Christmas [print this page] Personal Safety - 10 Ways To Stay Safe This Christmas
Understanding that this is the time of year that our threat levels increase, from risks of accidents and personal injury through to the dangers of physical assault, and from burglary of your home to the more serious street theft and robbery, it's crucial that we apply the correct levels of personal security and have a safe and fun Christmas.
So, to give you some help, I've decided to give you my own Top Ten tips on how to ensure your personal safety this Christmas.
Awareness
The primary function of awareness is for you to start to take more notice of your environment and the people around you. To look for potential dangers and spot them early - giving you more time to decide on how best to avoid or defuse any situation.
Be confident, alert and self-assured when out and about on foot
Maintain an awareness by making a mental note of what is going on around you and avoid drifting into daydreams
Avoid getting distracted by talking on your mobile phone or listening to music when out walking, especially when you are on your own
When travelling on public transport, pay particular attention when approaching bus and train stops to see who gets on. By being switched on you will have time to make a safe and confident exit at the same stop if you feel at all uneasy about who has just joined your carriage or bus
Pay attention to anyone who exits at the same stop or station as you to make sure you aren't being followed
Never fall asleep on public transport!
When you're out socialising, know your limits - and be aware of when you've had too much to drink and your judgement is becoming impaired.
Assess the Dangers
Knowing what to look for is crucial, and understanding the patterns of behaviour of criminals is vital if you want to achieve the correct assessment of everything you observe.
Never share lifts or taxis with strangers, this includes having strangers accompany you on your journey so that they can "help you to feel safer" - this is an old ploy by attackers who will befriend you and gain your trust when you feel vulnerable
Be aware of anyone signalling you for help, when you're driving or in other public transport
Be aware of unusual accidents
When people call at your door (apart from Santa of course), and you don't know them - always assume a high level of risk
Consider the time of calling - is it a reasonable time for the type of person calling?
Trust Your Intuition
When it comes to assessing dangers and threats, you already have your own in-built bodyguard, called your Intuition.
When something doesn't feel right, it probably isn't.
When returning to your car, if you spot someone near it, do not approach, leave the area and summon help
If you notice something on your windscreen, stop later on to remove it - don't get back out of the car as it can be a decoy in a distraction theft
Be aware of anyone signalling you for help
Be aware of unusual accidents, minor bumps at traffic lights is a classic Car Jacking technique.
Control your Ego
Once you've listened to your intuition, your next big challenge is to control your ego.
When your head is telling you that "you should be able to go out and party with your work colleagues", or, "you should be safe to travel home on your own", that is simply your ego talking and preventing you from listening to what your intuition is saying about the situation.
Avoid getting drawn into road rage and driver aggression - don't take it personally
For females living alone, consider having a male friend record your answer phone message or.. start your message with "WE can't take your call at the moment". My personal preference is to record a message that says something like "I can't make it to the phone right now as I'm out the back feeding my pet lions" or something to that effect!
Do not engage in physical violence - do not risk turning a burglary into a violent crime, your own safety and that of your family is far more valuable than any presents under the tree.
Act Quickly
So, you've stayed aware and you've spotted a potential threat. You're next step is to act quickly.
The more you delay in taking action on how to get to safety or defuse the threat, the greater the threat will become and the fewer options you will have.
If you feel uncomfortable in a nightclub, then leave
Never be afraid or embarrassed to ask for help
If you think you are being followed, cross the road or walk to a more public place.
Avoidance
It goes without saying that any action you take should have the primary purpose of avoiding the threat and the danger and not intentionally setting out to confront it or escalate it.
Avoid driving in icy conditions
Avoid socialising in hostile pubs and clubs
Avoid walking alone through lonely subways
Avoid sitting in empty train carriages
Avoid drawing large sums of cash out at night time.
Sensible
All self protection should be done sensibly and rationally if it is to be effective and also practical.
We can all take our personal safety measures too far as well as making them too little. The key is to keep a sensible head on your shoulders and make decisions and actions appropriate to the situations.
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