Violent crimes strike our community deeply. Injury is to our neighbors and occasionally our loved ones. Sometimes we, ourselves, become victims. Violent crime also attacks the quality of our lives by making us afraid. We fear going out and many fear staying in. We’ve always believed in our inalienable rights of: “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.”
- It is always risky to accept a ride to or from a place with someone you have just met.
- It is risky to accept an invitation to a new acquaintance’s home – even if it’s only for a drink.
- A person planning to associate with a new acquaintance who will not provide information about his employment or introduce friends and family should not be trusted until more is known about their background.
- It is better to receive than give a phone number.
- A person who plans to go out with a new acquaintance should make certain a friend knows their intended plans: the name and, preferably, address of the new associate.
- Any date that used pressure, guilt, or possessiveness to obtain what they want doesn’t deserve you. NO date has a right to use force of any kind for any reason. NO relationship EVER gets better because a party uses force.
- Make sure your date understands that NO MEANS NO. Date rapes happen when a person goes beyond the permission of their date. People need to understand that there are no “privileges” involved here.
- You don’t have to answer questions, give directions, or look for change or a match.
- Be aware of the signs of a set-up! An individual may ask your friends to leave. Once they do, the same person will then offer you a ride!
One solid way of reducing our anxiety about crime is to reduce the chance we will become a victim. Because we cannot and do not want to cut ourselves off from all that happens outside our homes, we need to develop a realistic immunity that reduces the likelihood of our being victimized. To do this we need to THINK about staying AWARE and ALERT. Many victims tell us “It was a total surprise!” or “I never thought this would happen to me!”
Become Aware and Stay Alert – Be on the Lookout For:
- Obvious crime opportunities
- Your own vulnerability
- The precautions that reduce that vulnerability
Stay in control of your activities by staying out of situations that deny you the ability to retreat from them. This includes driving techniques.
General Safety Tips
- Never leave keys in the ignition
- Never leave a purse on the seat
- Valuables: “Out of sight, Out of mind”
- Do not make a display of storing valuables in the trunk
- Always lock your doors
- Take your large dog with you
- Change habits and alternate patterns
As you think about the situations where you are vulnerable, plan to use methods which best preserve your control. Use those suggested here or devise your own, but rehearse your plans in your mind until they are a part of your routine. Remember, these methods enhance your safety and can transform your fears into awareness.
Personal security combined with active neighborhood crime watch efforts intensifies safety. Does your neighborhood have one? Could one be organized?
- Be alert for others, particularly children, the elderly, and the vulnerable. You can alert others; Get descriptions, use a cell phone and/or acar horn. Review this with your loved ones.
- Keep a copy of all I.D., credit cards, etc. that you carry. Ask yourself, “What if” they are stolen. Itemize home items, including I.D. numbers.
Whenever we go out, we always walk, ride or drive. You can feel safer and be safer when you stay alert for a criminal’s opportunities and take these precautions against them. Change patterns. We *are* “creatures of habit.”