| Yes we know it. Especially as females we shouldn't | | | | those CSI and SVU episodes that shoot into your |
| be walking home alone in the dark. Not through parks | | | | head probably won't come true. Even so, it may be |
| and not in unsafe neighborhoods. | | | | helpful to have an imaginary aggressor and to pump |
| We also know, that sooner or later, you come into a | | | | yourself up internally to react in a prepared and |
| situation where you don't have a choice. | | | | aggressive way. |
| Having travelled alone quite a bit, I have found myself in | | | | Most predators don't expect victims to be in control, |
| those situations more times than I expected and if | | | | especially if they are female. They expect paralizing |
| there is one thing I have learnt in those situations, it is to | | | | fear or survival frenzy but not calculated retaliation. |
| be prepared. | | | | Being in a mindset of expecting someone to jump out |
| Take a self defense course | | | | of nowhere, yelling at them rather than screaming for |
| Everyone, especially every woman should take a self | | | | help, and totally prepared to apply one or multiple of |
| defense course. In fact, in some schools it is part of | | | | the self defense tactics holds a better chance of |
| their physical education program, and in my opinion so it | | | | fending someone off rather than walking down a dark |
| should. I took one in my late teens and the lessons | | | | street with your earphones distracting you from your |
| learned there are still with me. | | | | fear. |
| You don't need to be a karate black belt. All you really | | | | Also, walking in an confident, aggressive manner,may |
| need is to have a few simple but effective moves up | | | | deter someone from attacking you in the first place. |
| your sleeve. Even if you never need to apply any of | | | | Better safe than sorry |
| the tools you've learnt (and I pray you don't), the | | | | Don't be afraid to be ridiculous. Making a fool out of |
| confidence gained is worth the time and money | | | | yourself may be embarrassing but despite the saying, |
| invested. | | | | nobody ever died from it. I remember one evening |
| Don't get me wrong. No course or skill will guarantee | | | | while living in Spain, I came off the last train, missed the |
| that nothing will ever happen to you. What I am saying | | | | bus, and had to walk home. For some reason, I was |
| is that if you have the choice of having at least some | | | | more nervous than usual. And so I started verbally |
| tools to work with and not having any, wouldn't you | | | | abusing the imaginary perpetrator - out loud - in my |
| choose to have some? | | | | native language. I was really yelling at him. Anybody |
| Train | | | | watching me, would have taken me for mentally |
| Every time you get on an airplane, the crew takes you | | | | challenged. So be it. It made me feel strong and I will |
| through the emergency landing procedures. If you | | | | never know if it did deter someone from some bad |
| travel frequently, you probably can recite the steps by | | | | idea. |
| now. You may find those announcements annoying | | | | Another time I was walking from a night club to the |
| but the fact that you hear, see and maybe read them | | | | train station by myself. I had run out of money and |
| over and over again, establishes those steps in your | | | | couldn't take a cab. Suddenly I heard steps behind me. I |
| brain. That increases the possibility of you being able to | | | | switched the side of the street, they followed me. |
| execute those steps rather than freezing or reacting | | | | When I walked faster so did the steps. Being prepared, |
| irrational. Stress limits our ability to focus, so the more | | | | I turned around and just starting yelling at this guy |
| routine something is, the easier it is to perform that | | | | behind me. Not in a scared way but as angry as I |
| action under difficult or abnormal circumstances. | | | | could make it sound. The young guy, obviously drunk, |
| The same with self-defense tactics. As soon as I find | | | | threw up his arms and yelled back: "Calm down |
| myself in a location where I feel a little uncomfortable, I | | | | woman, can't take a joke?" |
| immediately go through my 'emergency'-procedures in | | | | Yes, so my reaction may have been over the top. |
| my head. I might do that two or three times, and | | | | Bottom line though, I got home safe. |
| focusing on them has a calming side effect for me. | | | | (Any of the suggestions offered are based on my |
| Energy | | | | personal experience and should not be taken as |
| Although it is more than natural to be nervous or afraid, | | | | guidelines or guarantees for remaining safe. Please use |
| try your most not to show it. First of all, statistically | | | | your own discretion and speak to a specialist for |
| speaking all those imaginations and memories of all | | | | professional advice). |