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Safety Tips for Women (or anyone at-risk)

  

1. If walking by yourself, get off your cell phone (take off headphones too). Chatting can distract you; it's better to be aware of your surroundings. Wearing flat shoes and carrying a whistle are good ideas as well. 

2. If walking by yourself, hold your cell phone and be ready to make an emergency call. Preset one of the buttons on your phone to call 911.

3. Park in well-lit areas when possible. Look around and under your car before approaching it.

4. If a van is parked right next to the driver's side, enter through the passenger side. Predators often use vans and will disguise it as a family car, even using "Baby on Board" decals.

5. If you return to your car and it has a flat tire. Back away. Return to where you came from (restaurant, store, etc) & call for help. If someone approaches you (even a woman) and wants to help, say, No thank you

6. When leaving the mall late at night, ask a security guard to walk you to your car. Go directly to the kiosk and ask for them to assign an officer to escort you. Predators sometimes dress up like men of the law.

7. Keep your car filled with gas to avoid stopping in alone in undesirable areas.

8. When asking for directions and someone offers to show you the way by having you follow them, do not go! Just ask for them to point you in the direction.

9. If someone tries to grab you, waive your arms & yell, "Stop!" Do anything to draw attention.

*Safety tip: improvised weapons can be found anywhere. When you walk, carry your keys interlaced between your fingers.

10. Always pour your own drink at a party and bring it with you everywhere...even to the bathroom.

11. When going out with your friends, make a promise that you will stick together. Do not let your friend go off alone with a guy!

12. Don't put your name on your apartment buzzer or in the phone book.

13. If someone is chasing after you, run away in a zig zag pattern. This will exhaust your attacker.

14. Don't check-in on social media when you arrive somewhere. Instead, check in as you leave. Do not check in while on vacation, as it's a way of letting the world know that your home is unoccupied.

 

Visalia Police Department

Non-emergency

559-734-8117

Administration

559-734-8116

Emergency 911

 
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