Tips on Staying Safe - For Kids

Know your stuff! You need to know your full name, address and phone number, as well as Mom and Dad’s names. It seems like a lot to remember, but it is one of the most important safety tips. Be sure you know how to call 911. Remember, it is not a joke or a game. Most cities will send the police whether or not a request is made. Have a code word established so that the person who picks you up must know it. Remember NEVER to ever give this code word out to ANYONE!

A few general rules... If it feels weird, it probably is. Trust your gut feeling! You can talk to Mom and Dad about ANYTHING! Be sure to talk about safety whenever you have a question or something to tell them about. Child predators look like regular folks, so anyone you don’t know is a STRANGER! Never open the door for anyone that Mom and Dad have not approved. If you are a little bit unsure, do NOT open the door! Always try to walk with someone instead of alone!

In public places... Don’t wear your name on the outside of your clothing/books/book bags, etc. This gives strangers an advantage. Never lose sight of Mom, Dad or whichever adult you are with. If you can’t see them, chances are they can’t see you either! If you are lost, find a store employee or uniformed officer. Never just go along with a stranger who promises to take you to an officer, unless he or she is a store employee.

If someone tries to grab you in public... Make lots of noise! Yelling “This is not my mom/dad - help me!” is a good attention getter. Don’t stop there! Run up to another stranger and grab his or her arm. This will really get their attention a lot better.

If you are on your bike and someone tries to grab you... Hold onto the bike and don’t get off! The attacker cannot throw you AND the bike into his car. Throw your backpack or bike at the attacker and then run.

If you are on your bike or walking and someone approaches you from their car... First, never EVER approach a person in a car who is trying to get your attention! There are absolutely NO exceptions to this, even if the stranger knows your name or says Mom and Dad sent him. Turn around and quickly go the opposite way, even though you are no longer on your way to your destination. The attacker is not likely to turn his or her car around at the next intersection and follow you.

If someone sneaks into your home while people are home... Be sure to scream loud, throw a shelf down, or make noise any way you can. Just because home is usually a quiet place - especially in the middle of the night - does NOT mean you have to be polite and quiet in this situation.

If you are thrown into the passenger portion of a car... Yank wires from under the steering column. Try to jump into the back seat of a 4-door car. This will get you out of the attacker’s immediate control. If you are sitting in the car and it isn’t running, try to shove paper or something else into the ignition. The key will not be able to get in and the car will not start.

If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car... Kick out the back tail lights and stick your arm out the hole and start waving like crazy! The driver won’t see you, but everybody else will. This has saved lives.

Tips on Staying Safe - For Women

3 Reasons Women Are Easy Targets for Random Acts of Violence: Lack of Awareness You MUST know where you are and what’s going on around you! Body Language Keep your head up, swing your arms and stand up straight. Wrong Place, Wrong Time DON’T walk alone in an alley, or drive in a bad neighborhood at night.

When parking your car... Park in a well-lit area, near a security guard whenever possible. Never park next to a van with a sliding side door, from which an abductor could appear.

Before getting back into your car... Have your keys in your hand and ready BEFORE leaving the building. Never get into the habit of standing beside your car (or walking up to your car) fumbling for your keys. Be aware - look around you, behind you, into your car (especially the back seat and passenger side floor), and under your car. If you are parked next to a big van, enter your car from the passenger side. Many serial killers have been known to attack their victims by pulling them into their vans (through the sliding side door) while the women are attempting to get into their cars. Look at the cars parked on the driver’s side of your vehicle, and the passenger’s side. If a male is sitting alone in the seat nearest your car, you may wish to walk back into the mall, or work and get a guard, police officer (or just another body) to walk you back out.

It is always better to be safe than sorry - and ok to be just a little bit paranoid... ALWAYS take the elevator instead of the stairs. Stairwells are horrible places to be alone and an ideal crime spot. If the predator has a gun and you are not under his control, ALWAYS RUN! The predator will only hit a running target 4 in 100 times, and even then, not a vital organ. Don’t be so sympathetic. If someone appears to need help, go get someone else to help you help him. Remember serial killer Ted Bundy who always played on the sympathies of unsuspecting women. He walked with a limp or a cane and asked women for help into his car, and then abducted them. If confronted with such a situation, go back inside and get a second person to help him out - just to be safe.

Getting into your car... As soon as you get into your car, lock the doors, start the engine and LEAVE. Don’t just sit there and make a list, balance your checkbook, make a call, etc. Don’t give an attacker an opportunity to make his move!

If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car... Kick out the back tail lights and stick your arm out the hole and start waving like crazy! The driver won’t see you, but everybody else will. This has saved lives.