Personal Safety Tips For Women:
- If you see or sense problems on your way,just change your route and – prepare to run or defend yourself
- Do not hitchhike, use buses or taxis instead
- Do not act or look like an easy target – look confident!
- Most "fights" are won before they start, and aggressors will back down if you maintain eye contact and are not intimidated by them.
- Carry self-defence items like pepper spray etc. and make sure to practise its use.
- If you are walking to look for help, always walk against the traffic so that you can see what is coming.
- Don't use "headphones" when walking in isolated areas at any time.
- Be alert at all times.
- Don't presume that because your area has been "safe" thus far, that it will continue to be so.
Wait in a coffee shop or in a well-lit area for the public transport to arrive
- Don't choose the window seat as you may be "blocked in" by a potential assailant; always choose an aisle seat for quick exit
- After peak hours, always choose the train compartment carrying the most passengers or the compartment directly behind the train driver
- Don’t give out a lot of information about yourself until you feel comfortable doing so.
- The first, and probably the most important component in self-defense or personal safety is awareness. Always be aware of your own feelings, your surroundings, and your potential attacker’s likely strategies against you.
- Communicate your feelings clearly to the stranger and always keep a self-confident body language.
- Always listen to your instincts.Avoid a person or a situation that does not feel right.
If the criminal is after your purse or other material items, throw them one way while you run the other.
Always ensure that all the doors and windows are closed properly.
Inform your relatives and neighbours, that you are alone in the house.
When someone knocks at your door, don’t open it unless you know your visitor.
Have a through-the-door viewer installed on each exterior door.
If the person is a representative, salesman, etc., ask that identification and credentials be slipped under the door or through the mail slot. Call the employer to verify the name and business. Refuse to deal with anyone who won’t comply with this request
Someone may knock at your door and ask to use your telephone to make an emergency call. Never open the door Take the message and make the call for them.
If someone comes to your door that you do not trust or who you believe might be dangerous, call your local police department immediately.
Don’t open the door for strangers. Ask them to come back another time, or don’t respond to such calls
Keep some personal safety weapons handy.
Keep the house well-lit at night.
Safety in Cyberspace
Although the Internet is educational and entertaining, it can also be full of danger if one isn't careful. When communicating on-line, use a nickname and always keep personal information such as home address and phone number confidential. Advise family members to do the same. Keep current on security issues, frauds, viruses, etc. by updating regularly.
Safety Tips For Children:
- Keep the child informed about the dangers outside. Denial of such problems will result in children misjudging the security.
- Always keep a check on the child, while he is playing outside.
- Train him/her to raise alarm, when somebody takes them or they are in trouble. The best advice is to give a whistle and ask the child to blow it whenver neccessary.
- Always keep a watch on the presence of strangers in your locality.
- Always encourage the child to talk with you, so that he/she might tell their difficulties.
- Look out for sudden behavioral changes and counsel them whenever needed.
- Be informed about the symptoms of child sexual abuse.
Indicators Of Sexual Abuse:
- Abrupt changes in behaviour such as self harm, talks of suicide or attempt to suicide
- poor impulse control etc.
- Reluctance to go home.
- Sexualised behaviour or acting out sexually.
- Low self-esteem.
- Wearing many layers of clothing regardless of the weather.
- Recurrent nightmares or disturbed sleep patterns and fear of the dark.
- Regression to more infantile behaviour like bed-wetting, thumb-sucking or excessive crying.
- Poor peer relationships.
- Eating disturbances.
- Negative coping skills, such as substance abuse and/or self-harm.
- An increase in irritability or temper tantrums.
- Fears of a particular person or object.
- Aggression towards others.
- Poor school performance.
- Knowing more about sexual behavior than is expected of a child of that age:
- child may hate own genitals or demand privacy in an aggressive manner.
- child may think of all relationships in a sexual manner.
- child may dislike being his/her own gender.
- child may use inappropriate language continuously in his or her vocabulary or
may use socially unacceptable slang.
- child may carry out sexualised play (simulating sex with other children).
- Unwarranted curiosity towards sexual act like visiting adult sites or watching adult images or content.
- Sexually transmitted diseases
- Complaints of pain or itching in the genital area
- Difficulty in walking or sitting
- Repeated unusual injuries
- Pain during elimination, and
- Frequent yeast infections.
- Effects of child sexual abuse
- Parents have a very important role to play in limiting the short-term and long term effect
lof child sexual abuse. These are as below:
- Feeling of powerlessness;
- Difficulty concentrating;
- Flashbacks of the events;
- Fear of confronting the offender
- Loss of self esteem and confidence
- Feelings of guilt
SCHOOL SECURITY ADVISORY:
In order to ensure the security of schools, Principals / Headmasters have been requested to take the following safety and security measures at the earliest:
- To increase the number of security guards in the school.
- To install CCTV's at the entrance, exit and also focus on the perimeter (for suspicious/lurking person), corridors and other vantage points to be decided in consultation with the O.C. of the Police Station.
- Each student and staff member must wear an identity card (giving his name, parent/guardian's name, address, class, phone no. and blood group and other details).
- Each student must be told to memorize the phone no. of his parents/guardians.
- There should be a public address system in each school.
- There shall be a long ladder and ropes in each school, in case evacuation has to be effected.
- There should be proper fire fighting measures extinguishers, smoke alarms etc with standing instructions and training to staff/students as to their operation.
- Regular mock exercises including evacuation drills should be conducted.
- Implementing the security drill shall infuse a sense of regimentation, discipline, team spirit, service, duty and patriotism amongst the students and they shall feel more responsible.
- The Police Station officers can give the initial briefing and sensitization.
- If this system is put in practice it will be a good security system and deter potential elements from targeting the school.
- The students be sensitized not to purchase food from hawkers near the school premises.
- Students should not accept eatables from any strangers or even befriend them.
- Each school is also advised to form a School Volunteer Force. The number of students in the group shall vary depending on the size of the school premises. The following will be the charter of duties for the school volunteer groups:
- This group can be rotated daily, weekly or bi-weekly, so that the students do not lose out on their classes.
- This group shall come to school an hour before and check the precincts of the school for unidentified objects or suspicious persons around the entrance/perimeter.
- They shall repeat this exercise at the closing of the school.
- They shall give a daily report to a staff member nominated for this purpose.
- They can be given badges/arm-bands by the school.
Personal Safety Tips For Senior Citizens
When You are Going Out
Go with a friend whenever possible.
- Stay alert and tuned into your surroundings. Don't daydream.
- Try to walk in a confident, relaxed manner. Make brief eye contact with approaching strangers.
- Trust your instincts. If you feel uncomfortable in a place or situation, leave.
- Try carrying a small change purse with only the money or credit cards that you need, instead of a large handbag with straps. Keep your wallet in an inside jacket or front pants pocket.
- Don't burden yourself with packages.
- Walk on well-lit busy streets. Stay away from vacant lots, alleys, or construction sites.Avoid dark deserted routes, even if they are the shortest.
- Don't flash cash and other tempting targets such as expensive jewelry.
- Make sure someone knows where you're going and when you expect to return.
- Carry change for emergency telephone and transportation use.
- If a friend or a taxi takes you home, ask the driver to wait until you are safely inside.
- Have your car or house key in hand as you approach your vehicle or home.
On the Bus or Train
Use busy, well lit stops.
- Don't fall asleep. Stay alert!
- Watch who gets on or off the bus or trolley with you. If you feel uneasy, walk directly to a place where there are other people.
Always lock your car doors. Never leave keys in the ignition when you leave the car, even for a few minutes.
- When you drive, keep the doors locked and windows up. Park in well-lighted busy areas.
- Don't leave packages or other tempting articles in view in a locked car. Lock them in the trunk.
- Never, never pick up hitchhikers.
- If you have car problems, be especially wary of strangers who offer help. Stay in the car and ask them to call a service truck and law enforcement.
FOR YOUR OWN PROTECTION!
Be suspicious of anyone who offers you a chance for quick and easy wealth.
Be wary of exaggerated claims for health and medical products, such as cures for cancer or arthritis, hair restorers, quick weight loss. Before buying any cure-alls, check with your doctor, pharmacist, or clinic.
- Don't give credit cards, checkbooks, or savings account passbooks to your housekeeper or caretaker. Don't make an employee a joint owner of your bank account or your property.
- Never make cash transactions in secret. Discuss any large transaction with your banker.
What to Do if You Are Assaulted
If the attacker is only after your purse of other valuables, don't resist. Your life and safety are worth more than your possessions.
- Make a conscious effort to get an accurate description of the attacker and call the local police station immediately.