Safety Tips for Females

With the sun out most of the day, it’s easy for women to feel “safer” in the summer to go for a run or exercise outdoors, not realizing that attackers are still out there...waiting. The following tips will not only help prevent assault, but possibily save your life.
1. Awareness. This is your first line of defense; awareness of yourself, your surroundings, and your potential attacker’s likely strategies.
2. Your Sixth Sense. “Six sense”. “Gut instinct”. Whatever you call it. Learn to trust your intuition to help avoid a person or situation that does not feel safe – you’re probably right.
3. Self-defense Training. Learn basic self-defense skills. Enroll in a program that include simulated assaults.
4. Escape. Always your best option. You are suddenly confronted by a predator who demands that you go with him–be it in a car, or into an alley, or a building. It would seem prudent to obey, but you must never leave the primary crime scene. You are far more likely to be killed or seriously injured if you go with the predator than if you run away (even if he promises not to hurt you). Run away, yell for help, throw a rock through a store or car window–do whatever you can to attract attention. And if the criminal is after your purse or other material items, throw them one way while you run the other.
5. Other useful tips:
• Vary the routes so the running routine will not become obvious to others.
• Run against the traffic.
• Do not wear head sets when running alone on the street. It is very difficult to hear cars and sirens (or someone running behind you) when you are preoccupied with music.