10 Safety Tips For Women Versus The Predator

Among the many personal security safety tips for women against the predator, these are just a few to get you thinking about it – to remind you of situational awareness and what you might do with it to prevent such a circumstance.

1. The elbow is the strongest point on your body. If you are close enough to use it, do!

2. If a predator demands your wallet or purse, do not hand it over directly. Instead, toss it away from you. Chances are that the predator is more interested in your wallet or purse than you, and he will go for it instead. Then run like mad in the other direction!

3. Try to always park under a light, in parking lots, so that when you return to your car (in the dark), you can look into back seat/floor before opening car/getting in.

4. Some may have a tendency to get into their cars after shopping, eating, working, etc., and then sit there doing something like texting, phoning, or making a list, etc. Don’t do this. The predator will be watching you, and this is the perfect opportunity to get in on the passenger side. As soon as you get into your car, lock the doors and leave.

5. A few notes about getting into your car in a parking lot, or parking garage:

5a) Be aware: Look around you, Look into your vehicle, at the passenger side floor, and in the back seat.

5b.) If you are parked next to a big van, enter your vehicle from the passenger door. Most predators attack their victims by pulling them into their vans while they are attempting to get into their vehicles.

5c.) Look at the car parked on the driver’s side of your vehicle, and the passenger side. If a suspicious person is sitting alone in the seat nearest your car, you may want to walk back into the store, or your workplace, and get a someone to walk you back out. Better safe than sorry.

6. ALWAYS take the elevator instead of the stairs. Stairwells are horrible places to be alone and the perfect crime spot for predators. This is especially true at night!

7. If the predator has a gun and you are not under his control, always run! The predator will only hit you (a running target) 4 in 100 times; and even then, it most likely will not be a vital shot. Run, preferably in a zig-zag pattern.

8. Women are nearly always trying to be sympathetic: STOP – It may get you raped, or killed. Ted Bundy, the serial killer, was a good-looking, well educated man, who ALWAYS played on the sympathies of unsuspecting women. He walked with a cane, or a limp, and often asked ‘for help’ into his vehicle or with his vehicle, which is when he abducted his next victim.

9. To help avoid rapist assault, Walk confidently, directly, at a steady pace. A rapist looks for someone who appears vulnerable.

10. If you are in immediate danger of being raped, and you do not have pepper spray or other weapon, SCREAM “Police!” and RUN… Make a LOUD noise. If in struggle… Kick in the groin, Thrust your fingers into the eyes, Bite, Get VIOLENT, then RUN…

10a. Someone suggested the following… “I have read that it is better to scream “help fire” than “help police”. Theory being that more folks will respond quickly to a fire situation than a police need situation.”

Bonus Tip:

If possible, pull through into the other parking space so you’re faced such that you can pull straight out instead of backing out. Faster pull-out and visibility.

Learn to use a firearm, and carry for such a circumstance. The great force multiplier. Doesn’t matter if you’re a 110 pound women versus a 220 pound predator man…

Don’t go out alone. A very common situation where women tend to put themselves in a vulnerable position is jogging alone… Not only jogging alone but jogging alone with your ear-buds blaring directly into your ears. In this situation you could be an easier target.

Trust your gut instinct.

[ Read: 50 Personal Security Tips ]

Okay your turn… Any further ideas or suggestions?

25 Comments

  1. Whatever you do, NEVER, NEVER, get in a vehicle that you don’t want to get into !
    Whatever the threat is – fight as if your life depended on it, screaming your lungs out, and run for your life.
    If you do get in, it will more than likely be the last ride of your life.
    I speak as a Cop with over 30 years of experience.
    That’s what I’ve always told my wife and daughter.

  2. If you are walking down the street and you see somebody that looks sketchy coming towards you, look them in the eye and put your hand in your pocket. This tells them that you see them, and you are prepared for trouble, most times they change course or their mind.

  3. I always wear my seat belt if someone does work his way into the car with me somehow, we are going to the nearest tree or pole or yard or sign or another stationary object. I might get hurt but probably not dead.
    I can recall my daddy telling me to gouge out his eyes by getting my thumbs in the corners.

    1. Mrs. U,
      great idea! even in a parking lot, rake them off into the next closest obstacle. they are no match for a 4 ton 200HP vehicle. run them over, then over again.
      i always tell DW to just not put herself into that situation to begin with. if it doesn’t look safe or right, move or leave. she has a H/C card for her DM so she can park at the doors if needed.
      situational awareness plays a big roll in safety.
      stay safe!

  4. My past LEO had me practise some escape moves. The one I recall is if they have you by the back lift up your arms and slide out if possible. can’t describe it well. Also rape has no age limit. An older lady is just as at risk.

  5. As a smallish asian driver, if you are in your car, stay in your car and lock the doors. Anybody that approaches your car, you are sitting inside a shield and a weapon. Blunt force trauma to the knees of the attacker will take their minds off of. evil deeds they may have planned when they follow you.
    As a side note, How many ladies on this site walk straight to their cars when going from building to vehicle? How many have used their smart phone while walking to their vehicle? That text can wait.
    I work in a place that does not allow firearms. I go to my vehicle at night with a sharp lockblade folding knife on my dominant side. I do not like using pepper spray or mace having had lots of experience in its deployment as an LEO in SoCal. (I know its limitations on drunk or angry men). (you will cry and sniffle when you do your laundry)
    Anatomy lesson: Where to stab, cut or slash with an edged weapon? Imagine the human body standing beneath a bright light directly overhead. All of the areas that are in the shade are the soft areas to attack with an edged weapon or gouging tool. Many people strike blows from overhead. (the untrained people).

    1. Calirefugee,
      hate to say this, but the area between the rib cage and pelvis is a large target. one good slice across that and their guts will land on the floor. game over from shock. in a life or death situation like that, a person has to harden their heart to stay alive. it ain’t pretty, but it works. if it’s them or me or DW, i know who i’m root’in for.
      it’s funny, here in the deep south every older black woman has at least one straight razor in their bra and they ain’t afraid to use em, believe that. if they go in with both hands you better run, they will carve you up like last years turkey and tell you how you messed up while they do it.

  6. Loved that scene in Miss Congeniality. “Just remember to SING – solar plexus, instep, nose, groin.”

  7. Our natural womanly impulse is to tend and mend, rather than fight or flight. (Yes, they corrected that study once they realized all their test subjects were men.) To be safe we need to resist these impulses if we are not in a superior and safe environment. We do not need to (1) look at someone who is trying to attract our attention, (2) respond to anyone’s greeting, (3) smile when smiled at or asked to, (4) give anyone anything, even the time of day. Yes, it feels impolite, but we women don’t owe our attention or personal space to anyone. Including children who are routinely used here and abroad to attract our sympathy and get us into a physically weak, bent over posture.

  8. We must keep in mind that men have 66% more muscle mass in their upper body than women, and 50% more in the lower body. They are stronger and faster than we are. We have more piercing voices and should not be afraid of making a spectacle of ourselves. Once when being persistently followed in the evening (I’d gone to hear a classmate perform) I walked out into traffic yelling for help. Once at an outdoor celebration in DC someone tried to rub up against me and I shouted “get away from me, stop touching me.” Nearby men took care of the creep. Once in a foreign land I was menaced by a couple of men. I put on my best voice of the disciplinarian mother and told them to go away. Everyone nearby turned and glared at them. They went. All of these were known and previously safe places I had bern to before. 360 degree sphere of awareness, ladies, at all times.

    1. Anony Mee,
      i have known several small women in my life that no one messed with. it was their outward sense of self confidence. small, pretty girls, but you could tell not to make them mad at a glance. an outward sense of self confidence goes a long way. if you look like a victim, male or female, you will become one.
      walk through this world like you own it, not mad but with confidence and people will respect you. it has served me and others well working in the ghetto’s for years. never, ever show fear, and talk to people like they are your friends or neighbors, that goes a long, long way to diffuse a situation.
      i could write a dissertation on how to deal with gangs and the homeless one on one, but this is not the forum for that.

  9. There are quite a few videos available on line for self defense maneuvers.
    To get out of choke hold/wrist grab/shoulder grabs etc…it’s a good idea to watch and have friend help you practice them. My teenage daughter is a black belt in karate and did learn a bunch and has demonstrated them
    ( cool one for kids to slither out of backpack or jacket if grabbed too)

  10. Remember your keys placed between your fingers(pointing outward) and make a fist to hold in place. I watch people and especially at shopping centers, malls, etc most are oblivious especially youngins to there surroundings while on their social networks. Older people most often seem to be more observant and aware. Perps must laugh at these target rich environments.

  11. Years ago, I worked with a cane fu class taught for free at a local senior center. My piece of personal advice was to replace some of the light but flimsy canes with something more serious and strong like a piece of solid hardwood with a rubber ortho-tip on the bottom and a comfortable handle on the top. I just saw one of the students in the grocery this afternoon still using his cane made from a blank of white oak.
    I am now at that age where I use a cane on cold frosty mornings when I wake up. Time for me to start looking for a nice clear piece of white oak for myself.

    1. My husband and son have “stability devices” that are very sturdy and useful for self defense. (They’ve learned how to use them as they’re both black belts.) DH tells me the airlines aren’t allowed to ask why you need it, and can’t take it from you.

  12. I have several nieces now that are adults. Their parents took a note from my playbook and enrolled their daughters in some type of martial arts class during their teen years. One niece became quite accomplished at Tae Kwon Do. I had to remind her to not get cocky and do not kick above the knees if involved in a real fight. Martial Arts Tournaments are similar to IPSC 3 gun matches in that there are rules to follow and it is easy to get disqualified. There are no rules in a real fight. If a loved one gets their Black Belt in whatever, remind them to not get cocky and still follow the basic safety rules outlined in this here article.

  13. I was negatively amused by one discussion years ago. A certain faction of those involved were saying that women should NOT learn to protect themselves, their logic (such as it was) being that women should not HAVE to protect themselves. Instead, teach men not to attack. One participant compared self defense to putting an ambulance at the bottom of the hill rather than a fence at the top.

    Someone pointed out that the world doesn’t conform to their wishes, and got royally lambasted. The blatant idiocy of the situation was what caught my attention and the reason I still remember it.

  14. Response to Lauren: I do not know where the line of thought comes from that: “women do not need to know how to defend themselves”. After being married for a number of years, I began to observe and realize that ladies face unique struggles in some situations where ugly dudes like me will never understand. For years, I have worked with a group of criminals that have been rebranded as mental patients and have been labelled: Sexually Violent Predators. For the most part, these men are locked up for the remainder of their natural lives unless their court case goes FUBAR. I do remember a young, pretty, idealistic young nurse that worked at our hospital and talked with what looked like a kindly old patient in the yard one day. (he shared his favorite rape fantasy with her) She came to me later that shift and asked me where to buy a gun. Years later, I saw her at a local range test firing her latest purchase of a compact 9 mm. She was a smart lady that realized that she is the one in charge of her own personal safety. She was also from Canada so the idea of being able to buy and keep guns within the home was new to her. (at that time, we had several Canadian folks in our hospital that came for the steady work and high pay)

    1. Ironically, these were mostly women. The one who pointed out that reality doesn’t conform to their whim was the only male in the group.

  15. Processed pig scraps this morning. Took a couple hours as I had a nice load. Went off to the geese’s pen to give them a treat but couldn’t find them. Walked through the brush back toward the barn when out stepped a cougar. About 20 ft away. Big one but thin. I stopped and started calling for help at the top of my lungs. Nobody was outside nearby. I backed away and the cougar went into a thicket. Walked out of the pen, went into the house, and texted neighbors about the threat. One who works nights was home and came over. We found the cougar who ran. Neighbor took a shot and thinks he missed. A couple of them are hunting it now. Found what’s left of the geese. Guess it’s time to buy a .40 – there’s predators out there.

    1. Anony Mee,
      Damn kid, that’s a little spooky. Get yourself a revolver and pack it whenever you are out.( in your farm coat pocket or on your hip) Even a little noise-maker will scare off a bear. A $145 Rough Rider revolver in 22 magnum would be a cinch for you to shoot accurately to hit a cougar, or a 2-legged varmint. You did the right thing by yelling, since you saw it. But what if you hadnt seen it until you were right up on it? Consider this event as a warning, and take steps to protect yourself.

      1. Minerjim, Thanks for the advice. Been wanting to add one of those. Always have been one to run toward the sound. Usually go out with the dogs if I hear the animals at night. Heard a couple honks from the geese around midnight but opted to stay in. Figured an owl or the neighbor’s dog spooked them, but they didn’t sound too alarmed. Good thing. No need to meet a hungry cougar at midnight, unless that’s what one is into.

  16. I know I’m old fashioned, but I believe it is primarily my responsibility to protect my wife and family. Part of that includes helping them be prepared to defend themselves. I should be the first line of defense, but DW is the backup. Since we have got married, she has started carrying a knife and a pistol. I am not a romantic man. I use the 3 P method of showing my love; Profess, Provide and Protect.

  17. The best I have ever heard a woman use as far as words go with someone trying to rape them is to scream “I have AIDS!” A family friend used this and the guy instantly stopped and ran. If it doesn’t get them off of you, it will at least give them pause and a chance for you to either punch them in the throat or put your thumbs in their eyes. Remember, the eyes have no pain receptors in them, so it takes a few seconds to realize they can no longer see.

  18. To car guy: Nothing wrong with being old fashioned. I taught my wife after she asked me about the guns and how to use them. We went out shooting on our 3rd date. Her first husband was selfish about his guns and did not make any attempt to teach her or make it fun. The more she worked with the different firearms and made selections of her favorites, those guns became hers to keep and store safely.
    When we were living together and after we got married, I was working in a large locked hospital for 8 – 16 hrs per day. After several years of that, we came to the realization that she should have her arsenal and keys to her safe that she could access for the times I would not be there to protect her/us. There have been several times I have not been able to return home due to police activity, foul weather, earthquake (this was California after all) Several years later, we completed the Farmer’s Security system when we got a puppy to go with our shotguns.

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