The recent murder of Sarah Everard shook us all up pretty badly. Walking alone at night can be dangerous, particularly for women. And it is important to be cautious and prepared.
Here are our top 5 tips for women to stay safe while out at night.
1 –Â Share your plans with your relatives and/or friends
Always let someone know when you leave your house – where you are heading to and at what time they should expect you back at home.
Also, make sure you plan your journey and share the details with your relatives and/or friends. Always choose the safest route, not the fastest.
And finally, let them know when you are safely at home.
2 – if you think you are being followed...
Walk towards a busier road or look for a store/business you can quickly go to.
If you see someone, ask for help!
If there does not seem to be anyone around, scream! Causing a scene might deter the predator.
You could also pretend to make a phone call to someone on their way to pick you up – “Yes I am here, can you see me?”
3 – How to use Emergency SOS features on your mobile
The emergency SOS features vary depending on whether you are using an iPhone or an android.
If you’re in a situation where you can’t talk on the phone, there are ways to ping your location to your emergency contact.
Some phones even take photos as well as audio recordings of the moments before the SOS message is sent.
However, this feature requires a little bit of setting up, so we advise you to take some time to familiarise yourself with your phone’s safety features.
4 – Use what you can find in your handbag to defend yourself
If you think you are followed, think about what you could use in your handbag to defend yourself, if it becomes necessary.
It could be keys, pens but it also could be a deo/hair spray.
To use your keys as self-defence, hold them as you normally would to unlock a door and stab your key at an assailant’s eyes, throat, and groin.
Walk with your keys in your hand so you are ready to strike if necessary. This also means that you are ready to open your door when you arrive.
5- What to do if a police officer stops you and you are not sure whether the person you’re dealing with is a genuine police officer
If you’re unsure about whether the person you’re dealing with is a genuine police officer call the force control room 101 to check their identity.
