A GUIDE TO PERSONAL SECURITY_.pdf

A GUIDE TO PERSONAL

SECURITY

Personal safety isn’t just for young children and women. It is for everyone.

Children, teenagers, men and women can all find themselves vulnerable to a crime

of violence, whether because of their own circumstances, location, age, sexuality,

personal beliefs or ethnic origin. The chances of becoming a victim may be very,

very low, but just one crime is one too many.

Traditionally, personal safety advice has tended to consist of comments such as

“don’t go with a stranger” or “don’t go down dark pathways at night”. There is a lot

more to personal safety than that.

In the pages of this guide you will find many suggestions to help reduce your

chances of becoming a victim of crime. It is intended to be thought provoking to

get you to examine your lifestyle. You do not have to live in fear, wary of everyone

and everything. You should simply take precautions so that you are not at risk. In

this way you improve your quality of life, not restrict it.This booklet outlines

possible measures that could reasonably be taken to reduce opportunities for crime.

The recommendations are based on current best practice.

•

Any crime risk assessment should be based on crime trends and patterns.

Measures to reduce crime should be reasonable, practical and cost-

effective.

•

There can never be any guarantee that crime will be reduced.

•

It is strongly recommended that other statutory requirements are

considered, such as Health and Safety, Local Authority planning

requirements, Fire prevention, and so on.

•

A ny reference to the law contained in the booklet is not meant to be an

accurate statement of the law, but to offer guidance only. You would not

be able to rely on it to provide a defence to any criminal charge or civil

claim.

Courtesy of Greater Manchester Police

Text:- Chris MacKenzie

A GUIDE TO PERSONAL

SECURITY

A GUIDE TO PERSONAL

SECURITY

A GUIDE TO PERSONAL

SECURITY

•

CONTENTS

Although the guide is divided into sections, remember that more than one chapter

may apply to you. Don’t restrict your options by reading only one section; some

advice may be relevant to everyone but is not repeated in every chapter.

Avoiding the Situation

Fear of Crime .........................................................................................

The Victim.............................................................................................

Transport ...............................................................................................

Walking..................................................................................................

Be Brave .................................................................................................

Driving Alone ........................................................................................

Preparation.............................................................................................

Breakdown .............................................................................................

Survival Bag ...........................................................................................

Motorways..............................................................................................

In Traffic ................................................................................................

Self Defence ...........................................................................................

What if... ................................................................................................

Shout!!

Alarm

Weapons ................................................................................................

Buying Time...........................................................................................

Self Defence and the Law ......................................................................

Nuisance Phone Calls ............................................................................

Less Vulnerable......................................................................................

Keep in Control .....................................................................................

Hello?

Further Advice.......................................................................................

Young Children......................................................................................

Teenagers ...............................................................................................

Public Transport ....................................................................................

Phone Home ..........................................................................................

If You’re Attacked .................................................................................

Wise Up! ................................................................................................

Out & About .........................................................................................

At Home & Baby Sitting .......................................................................

Doorstep Crooks ....................................................................................

Bogus Workers .......................................................................................

Bogus Dealers.........................................................................................

Bogus Officials .......................................................................................

Look Before You Open ..........................................................................

Door Viewer...........................................................................................

Door Chain ............................................................................................

In Summary .........................................................................................

Racist Incidents......................................................................................

Racial Harassment .................................................................................

Report It! ...............................................................................................

What Happens Next? ............................................................................

Who Else Can Help?..............................................................................

Gay & Lesbian Hate Crime ...................................................................

Report It! ...............................................................................................

Some Special Note About... ..................................................................

Domestic Violence.................................................................................

Sexual Assault........................................................................................

In Conclusion.........................................................................................

Further Reading & Advice ....................................................................

AVOIDING THE SITUATION

Fear of Crime

The actual fear of a crime can be far worse than the crime itself. If you’re not

careful you can end up worrying about something that will, probably, never happen.

The trick is to be aware of the problem and take sensible precautions, but without

worrying too much about it.

Violence on the street is fortunately still rare. The odds of being attacked could be

compared to winning the pools or lottery - there’s very little chance of it happening

to you. But, you still go out of your way to fill in the coupon, taking time and

investing a little money. You then imagine what would happen if by a rare chance

these odds did come up! You don’t let it take over your life, you just prepare.

It is therefore wise to “complete the coupon” by taking sensible precautions to

ensure you are safe.

This is the same for everyone. It doesn’t matter if you’re a 20 stone fellow who gets

mistaken for Arnold Schwarzenegger, it still applies to you!

The Victim

Recent studies considered the sort of person who becomes a victim of sexual assault

or robbery (theft using or threatening violence). People who had projected an air of

self-confidence and walked with purpose were not chosen by the offenders

questioned. Instead, they picked on people who looked timid, shy and vulnerable;

in other words, an easy target.

Taking simple precautions to reduce the opportunity for attack, such as wearing a

shoulder bag with the flap facing you and the strap over both your arm and head

rather than just the arm, could reduce the chances. If you frequent clubs and pubs,

drinking out of bottles (and those opened in front of you) will reduce the

opportunity of someone putting a drug in you drink.

Transport

Although the chances of an attack are still low in most areas, one incident is one

too many. So if you find yourself trying to get home alone late at night, take

precautions.

It is always sensible to arrange a lift home with a friend, husband, wife, or that

universally free transport service for teenagers, the family car.

If you have to telephone for a taxi, always try to use a firm you know. Don’t get a

private hire taxi (they look like a normal car) unless you’ve booked the car first.

Only hackney carriages (traditional black cabs) are insured to carry passengers who

have flagged them down. Always sit in the back, preferably behind the driver.

Book the cab by phone, and ask for the driver’s name, and the make and colour of

car. When the cab arrives ask for the driver’s name and company and the name of

the customer they have come to collect. Don’t volunteer the information first.

On public transport, try to sit near the driver, avoiding an empty upper deck on

buses and vacant compartments on trains. If you are pestered by a someone,

complain to the driver or guard. They can get help by radio, telephone or alarm

depending on the type of transport and the nature of the incident.

Walking

If you have no choice left but to walk alone at night, remember the advice you were

given when you were young. Walk in the centre of the pavement, avoiding short

cuts through dimly lit deserted areas.

It is wiser to walk facing the oncoming traffic where you can be seen and avoid the

surprise of a vehicle approaching from behind. It’s also very difficult for motorists to

pester you if they drive alongside, they have to do it in reverse!

Victims attacked or robbed while walking usually say “He (or she) came from

nowhere!”. Of course the attacker didn’t suddenly materialise out of thin air, it was

simply that the victims were not watching what was going on around them. Their

mind was probably elsewhere and not observing people or dangerous situations.

For this reason some people do not like large hoods on coats which restrict vision.

Try to cover jewellery. Wearing a lot of jewellery when you go out may make you a

target.

If you have to carry money, carry only you need. Keep cheque and credit cards

separate from cheque books.

Do not leave bags unattended. Keep purses and wallets in an inside pocket.

Plik z chomika:

Inne pliki z tego folderu:

Inne foldery tego chomika: