Tips on how to keep yourself safe and be confident
You’ve heard it time and time again to pay attention to your surroundings to keep yourself safe but, what else can you do? Sure traveling in a group and avoiding late-night walks alone is helpful but the risks are still out there.
A survey done by Eyewitness News [non affiliated] in 2019 showed that 80% of women runners have been harassed during a run. Keeping yourself out of harm's way should always be on the top of a person’s mind but when humans have to change their way of life to feel safe there needs to be a solution.
5 Way to Stay Safe:
Ditch the Headphones
Make sure all your senses are working properly to give yourself that extra awareness.
Have an Assertive Presence
Similar to how a pufferfish enlarges itself or how a cat twists to the side to look larger, make yourself look stronger and more confident in public. Statistics indicated that attackers are more likely to go after victims who come across as more vulnerable and insecure.
Mix Up Your Routes
Posting on social media shows the world where you might possibly be. Instead, mix up your routes and leave your place at different times every day.
Use common sense
Of course, use your head! If your instinct is that something feels dangerous, stick to that feeling and avoid possible risks.
Invest in Safety! Carry a safety device that can aid you when under attack.
Although, women who have been assaulted reported more likely to carry a safety device, they are also likely to suffer from severe PTSD. During the first two weeks after the assault, 94% of women said they’ve experienced PTSD and 33% are likely to turn to suicide. Women’s safety is a serious matter that can’t be taken lightly. Help protect yourself and your loved ones by investing in safety.
- According to the US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health, 60.2% of 1800 surveyed avoided doing tasks they wanted to do that would subject them to possible risk and 39.8% avoided doing tasks they needed to do
- Less than 20% of women surveyed carry a pepper spray and another 20% carried a noisemaker such as a safety alarm
- Women 25-54 are more likely to carry protective tools
- Women with both vicarious and who themselves have been assaulted reported more likely to carry weapons
Long Term Effects on Mental Health
- During the first two weeks after the assault, 94% of women said they’ve experienced PTSD
- 33% of rape victims contemplate suicide
- 13% of rape victims attempt suicide
- 3.4 time more likely to use Marijuana
- 6 times more likely to experience cocaine
- 10 times more likely to use major drugs