With the unfortunate reality of violence against women in our society, it is important to be aware and to be taking precautions in hopes of not becoming yet another victim. Unfortunately, even on campus, women aren’t safe from predators and the threat of sexual assault. In fact, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, 21% of college women have experienced sexual assault with rates increasing to 25% by graduation. While it is never the victims fault, by taking some (or all) of the suggested precautions below, you have a better chance of not becoming part of this awful statistic:
Buddy System
When walking anywhere, try to have a close friend with you. Ideally, this friend should be female since most women who have been assaulted report to have known their attacker. If you can’t find a friend to walk with you, at least never be in isolation. Never walk alone at night and avoid isolated areas even during the day. An attacker wouldn’t want witnesses or obstacles, give them as many as possible.
Dress in Comfortable and Versatile Clothing
Avoid pony tails and baggy clothing that can be used to grab you and drag you off. Make sure you can run if need be by wearing comfortable shoes and not weighing yourself down too much with bags, books, packages, etc.
Know Your Surroundings, Walk with Purpose
You should always look as if your full attention is on your surroundings. Don’t play with your phone, don’t listen to music (or at least only use one ear bud at a time), and make sure to pay attention to who is behind you. If someone follows you longer than you’re comfortable with, lead them towards a crowd and/or head towards an authority figure (teacher, campus security, etc.). An attacker would want you to be caught off guard, let them know you won’t be. Walk as if you might be late. Even if you aren’t headed in a specific direction, act as though you are.
Take Little Safety Measures
At parties, only drink the drinks that you made yourself or opened yourself and then watch your drink closely. If you lost visual of your drink for even a minute without a close girlfriend watching it, dump it out. If you’re nervous at all about a someone’s advances, end the conversation and lie about where you’re going to be going next. Know you’re limits when it comes to drugs, alcohol, and sexual boundaries beforehand so you know when you’re getting into a risky situation.
Weapons
The above-mentioned suggestions are better than using any form of force. However, we all have the occasional off day and it may be a good idea to carry around some mace, a tasor, and carrying your keys ready to stab an attacker if need be, just in case. Maybe even consider taking a self-defense class. Weapons should only be used in worst case scenarios, but it’s better to have them ready for if you happen to be caught off-guard.
