While there are many ways to prevent intruders from breaking into your residence, protecting yourself while outside your home takes a different approach. To be aware of your surroundings is one of the key elements in minimizing the threat to you and your family when commuting. A little precaution can go a long way towards keeping yourself safe if you stay aware of what is happening around you.
As part of most safety training classes, being aware of what is around you is probably the most important thing you can do so stay safe. But there are other steps you can take which will also minimize the risk of being assaulted.
Awareness
People that are vulnerable tend to be wrapped up in their own thoughts and routines to the point that they fail to notice something different. It pays to take a moment, stop, and look around. Especially when you are in unfamiliar territory. If something does not look right, then avoid it if you can.
The same is true when you are home. Look around from your front window or porch and if something does not look right, take note of it. In all likelihood it may be nothing. But then again, it may be something so you should keep aware.
Change Up Your Routine
Mix things up when you drive to work, go shopping, or spend a night out on the town. This means do not settle into a routine that can become predictable. This is because those who want to break into your home or rob you personally on the street are counting on you sticking to the same routines. In many cases, the victim has been watched for several days by the criminal before they are assaulted.
By breaking up your routine, you become less predictable and thus, more unreliable as a potential victim. It is this unpredictability that can prevent an unwanted encounter.
Reduce Your Vulnerability
This requires some self-evaluation. You start by looking at where you go, what you have with you to protect yourself, and what actions should be taken in case the unexpected occurs. While you cannot plan for every situation, you can use the basic tools around you to best be prepared.
- Have emergency numbers ready to dial on your phone
- Carry a defensive weapon on your person and in your vehicle
- Keep your distance in traffic and walking along the street
- Go with someone when possible
All these steps can help you if a situation arises. In many cases, a person becomes the victim of a crime in part because they didn’t know what to do when they had the time to do it. Reducing your vulnerability means that you act when needed because you know what to do.
Self-Defense Training
You do not have to become a black belt but taking a few self-defense courses can do you a world of good in case you are assaulted. The courses offer basic, easy to employ actions that can block a punch and even turn the tables on the attacker. Plus, you can train yourself to react properly in case you are attacked.
- Yell to get noticed by others
- Employ a self-defense weapon or use hand-to-hand techniques
- Get away when you have the opportunity
- Call for help when you get the chance
All four of these steps can help you in case you are attacked. These steps are all connected by staying aware of your surroundings and avoiding potentially dangerous situations. But in case you are caught by surprise, you will know what to do.
Self-Defense Devices
While training is important, it can also help to have a weapon or device available to provide you with an edge. Many attackers are counting on the idea that they have the advantage, so you should provide your own weapon or device that can improve your odds.
- Keychain
- Pepper Gun
- Tactical Flashlight
- Taser
You do not need to use a lethal weapon for protection and in many states carrying such a weapon may be illegal. But if you decide to get any weapon, lethal or not, it helps if you can get the proper training.
Some weapons like keychains that can be used to enhance the effect of punching or shining a bright light into an attacker’s eyes require little training. However, even with such basic devices, it helps to practice enough to become familiar with how to use the properly.
Stay Calm
These two words, “stay calm”, go a long way towards keeping safe. This is part of understanding your surroundings and being aware of what is happening. Keeping your head means that you can react to what is happening and not what you think might happen.
Your mindset should be on what you can do next once you recognize that you are entering or involved in an unsafe situation. Remember that you should not get lost in thought about what to do, but instead you should choose the course of action that buys you the most time and if possible, gets you away from the danger. Then, you can contemplate the next course of action. But it all starts with staying calm.
Of course, no amount of precaution will be 100% effective. Even the most alert individuals can still be attacked or become a victim of a criminal act. However, when you consider the infrequency that most people will encounter a dangerous situation and augment that by taking the necessary steps, and it is possible that you may never see an assailant in your lifetime.
To be aware of your surroundings is one of the most important ways to spot potential trouble before it has a chance to strike. The best way to protect you and your family from danger is by avoiding potential trouble spots in the first place. So, stay alert by keeping an eye on what is happening around you. And you greatly reduce the chances of a potential confrontation with criminals.
