Self Defense for Women

Reducing the Risks of Becoming a Victim

There are many tips on self defense for women on this website. In this article, I want to talk about how you can reduce your risks of getting in dangerous situations.

Some of the tips might seem like common sense, but sometimes we forget to do some of the simplest things that could keep us safe. Pay attention to your surroundings. If you like to go running or walking, do it in the daytime if possible. If you can't do it during daytime hours, walk or run in areas that are very public and have good lighting.

Be aware of places someone could hide like bushes or stairways. Make sure there are always a lot of people around where you exercise. When you finish your walk or run, don't take shortcuts home that are isolated away from people.

If you have to exercise at night, go with a buddy or a group of people. Join an exercise group that walks or runs regularly. Or form your own group with some of your friends or co-workers. The advice is the same when you go out dancing or drinking. Always go with your friends or co-workers, never by yourself.

On a Date

When you're going out on a date, especially if you just met the person, let your family members and friends know where you're going. Have a cell phone with you. You never know if the date will turn out alright or not. You might have to call someone to pick you up.

If you're a teenager living at home, call your parents and let them know you'll be home late if your date runs longer than expected. You don't want your parents staying up late worrying about where you are.

Public Transportation

Another important tip in self defense for women is when you're catching the bus or subway, stand or sit with other people if possible. Once on the bus, sit near the driver and pay attention to who is on the bus or subway. Sitting near the front is safer because, generally speaking, people who are up to no good like to sit in the back so they go unnoticed.

Don't Look like a Target

When in public by yourself, walk with confidence. Keep your head up and stay alert. Don't walk with your head down as if you don't want to look people in the eye. This posture gives off an air of being self-conscious and having low self esteem. This makes you a very attractive target to attackers.

If you walk with confidence, act like you know where you're going and stay aware of your surroundings, potential attackers will more likely stay away from you. Most of them don't want to end up in a fight. If you look like you might kick his butt if he tries anything, he'll move on to look for another victim.

Not looking like a victim is one of the most important tips in self defense for women that will help reduce your chances of being attacked.

Lower Your Chances of Being a Victim of Crime One of the things that you can do to lower your chances of being a victim of crime is to learn the strategies that attackers use against their potential victims.

Do You Have a Victim Mentality? How do you know if you have a victim mentality? What exactly makes someone a potential victim? Predators are very good at noticing the signs of a potential victim.

Mental Self Defense When I talk about mental self defense, I'm talking about preparing yourself mentally IF you end up in a situation where you could become a victim of crime. There are three different attitudes you can take.

Verbal Self Defense Verbal self defense involves manipulation and negotiation with the offender/attacker. In these situations, you're trying to persuade the offender to not use force against you or to let you go.

The Fight or Flight Response We are born with the most basic self defense mechanism in the world...the fight or flight response.

Car Security Proper car security can keep you from becoming a victim of crime. Being more aware of your surroundings, looking out for suspicious activity and taking preventive steps to protect yourself are just some of the ways to be safe.