From: Great Safety advice from Pat
Malone (an email that was forwarded to me from a friend...) :
- The elbow is the strongest point on your body. If you are close enough
to use it, do!
- 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.
A personal safety workshop was conducted by Pat Malone who has been a body
guard for famous figures like Farrah Fawcett and Sylvester Stallone. He works
for the FBI, and teaches police officers and Navy SEALS hand-to-hand combat.
This man has seen it all, and knows a lot. He focused his teachings to us on
HOW TO AVOID BEING THE VICTIM OF A VIOLENT CRIME. He gave us some statistics about how much the occurrences of random
violence have escalated over the recent years, and it's terrible. Something
like 99% of us will be exposed to, or become a victim of a violent crime. Here
are some of the most important points that I got out of his presentation.
12 TIPS ON STAYING SAFE...FOR WOMEN
1.) The three reasons women are easy targets for random acts of
violence are:
(a.) Lack of Awareness You MUST know where you are & what's going on
around you.
(b.) Body Language Keep your head up, swing your arms, stand straight up.
(c.) Wrong Place, Wrong Time - DON'T walk alone in an alley, or drive in a
bad neighborhood at night.
2.) Women have a tendency to get into their cars after shopping,
eating, working, etc, and just sit (doing their checkbook, or making a list,
etc). DON'T DO THIS! The predator will be watching you, and this is the
perfect opportunity for him to get in the passenger side, put a gun to your
head, and tell you where to go. AS SOON AS YOU GET INTO YOUR CAR, LOCK THE
DOORS AND LEAVE.
(a.) A few notes about getting into your car in a parking lot, or parking
garage: Be aware: look around you, look into your car, at the passenger side
floor, and in the back seat.
(b.) If you are parked next to a big van, enter your car from the passenger
door. Most serial killers attack their victims by pulling them into their vans
while the women are attempting to get into their cars.
(c.) Look at the car parked on the driver's side of your vehicle, and the
passenger side. If a male is sitting alone in the seat nearest your car, you
may want to walk back into the mall, or work, and get a guard/policeman to
walk you back out. IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY. (Better paranoid
than dead.)
3.) ALWAYS take the elevator instead of the stairs. (Stairwells are
horrible places to be alone and the perfect crime spot).
(a.) Do not get on an elevator if there is a weirdo already on there. (Of
course, bad men don't always look bad).
(b.) Do not stand back in the corners of the elevator; be near the front,
by the doors, ready to get off or on.
(c.) If you get on the elevator on the 25th floor, and the Boogie Man gets
on the 22nd, get off when he gets on and wait for another elevator.
4) If the predator has a gun and you are not under his control,
ALWAYS RUN!
(a.) Police make only 4 of 10 shots when they are in range of 3-9 feet.
This is due to stress.
(b.) The predator will only hit you (a running target) 4 in 100 times. And
even then, it most likely WILL NOT be a vital organ. RUN!
5.) As women, we are always trying to be sympathetic - STOP IT! It
may get you raped, or killed.
(a.) Ted Bundy, the serial killer, was a good looking, well-educated man,
who ALWAYS played on the sympathies of unsuspecting women. He walked with a
cane, or a limp, and often asked "for help" into his vehicle or with
his vehicle, which is when he abducted his next victim.
(b.) A woman came out of the mall and was walking to her car when she
noticed 2 older ladies in front of her. Then she saw a police car come towards
her with cops who said hello. She also noticed that all 8 handicap spots in
the area were empty. As she neared her car she saw a man a few rows over
calling to her for help. He wanted her to close his passenger side door. He
was sitting in the driver's side, and said he was handicapped. He continued
calling, until she turned and headed back to the mall, and then he began
cursing at her. In the meantime, she wondered why he didn't ask the 2 older
ladies, or the policeman for help, and why he was not parked in any of the
empty handicap spots. As she got back to the mall, two male friends of hers
were exiting, and as she told them the story, and turned to point at the car,
the man was in the back seat, and quickly moved back to the front and sped
away. DON'T GET CAUGHT IN THIS TRAP.
6.). Tips to saving your life, if you have gotten into a violent
situation:
(a.) REACT IMMEDIATELY. If he abducts you in a parking lot, and is taking
you to an abandoned area, DON'T LET HIM GET YOU TO THAT AREA. If you are
driving, react immediately in the situation, and crash your car while still
going 5 mph. If he's driving, find the right time, and stick your fingers in
his eyes. He must watch the road, so choose an unsuspecting time, and gouge
him. It is your ONLY defense. While he is in shock, GET OUT. (This sounds
gross, but the Alternative is your fault if you do not act.)
(b.) RESIST. Don't go along with him: run, if you are able: DON'T EVER GIVE
UP! You DO NOT want to get to a crime scene.
7.) Always keep your distance when walking past strangers on the
street or in dark areas.
8.) GET A CELL PHONE.
(a.) There are packages for $19.95 a month that allow you to program only
911 into the dialing out program. (This is an alternative for parents who say
it is too expensive for their kids to have a cell phone.)
9.) BREAK DOWNS: Make every effort to avoid this by ALWAYS keeping
your car in good working order.
(a.) If your car breaks down and you have a cell phone: LOCK YOUR DOORS.
Then call for help.
(b). If you don't have a cell phone: (shame on you) keep a blanket, warm
clothes, a pair of boots, and a flashlight in your car always, for
emergencies, and...
(c.) If it's noon on a business day in a populated area, you may want to
put your hazards on and walk to safety.
(d.) If it's 2 a.m. near a populated area, put on your warm clothes, and
walk to a lighted area. You are a perfect target if you are sitting in your
car when it's broken down. Predators search the highways for easy targets like
you.
(e.) If you're on a desolate road: walk away from the car (in your warm
clothes) and go to some bushes, or some area AWAY from your vehicle. It will
be cold, and uncomfortable, but you DO NOT want to stay in your car, and there
are no psycho bogeymen waiting in the bushes who just knew you were going to
break down there and then.
10.) Physical defenses that we can use against the violent predator.
(a.) The EYES are the most vulnerable part of the body. Poke him there.
HARD. It may be your only window of opportunity.
(b.) The neck is also a vulnerable spot, but you MUST know where to grip,
AND HAVE THE STRENGTH to cut off his breath.
(c.) The last place is the KNEES. Everyone's knees are very vulnerable, and
a swift kick here will take anyone down. * A cautionary note about these
things. If you do not do these things right the first time, you are in
trouble, because it will only anger the individual, and that anger will be
TAKEN OUT ON YOU. I'm not saying don't attempt them (it may be your only
hope), but be forceful when you do.
11.) If you are walking alone in the dark (which you shouldn't be)
and you find him following/chasing you:
(a.) Scream "FIRE!", and not "help". People don't want
to get involved when people yell "help", but "fire" draws
attention because people are nosy.
(b.) RUN!
(c.) Find an obstacle, such as a parked car, and run around it, like Ring
around the Rosie. This may sound silly, but over the years, 5 women have told
Pat Malone that this SAVED THEIR LIVES.
(d.) Your last hope is getting under the car. Once you are under there,
there are tons of things to hold on to, and he will not be able to get you out
unless he comes under after you (which makes it easier for you to escape or
fend him off). Usually they give up by this point. The catch here is that YOU
MUST PRACTICE GETTING UNDER THE CAR. You must have a plan; (he will have one);
know if you will be going on your back, front, from the side or back of the
car. It must be practiced.
12.) Never let yourself or anyone that you know be a
"closer" in any type of business (bar, store, restaurant, gas
station). Pat knew Danielle, who was a girl that just died from being shot
point-blank by some kids while she was closing at the local gas station. He
talked with her the night before she died, and asked whether it ever scared
her to close alone. She said yes, but said, "I'll be alright, Pat. I'll
be alright." She wasn't.
Our world is not as safe as we pretend that it is, and living in our
fantasy worlds WILL get us in trouble, sooner or later. Pat Malone said, again
and again, that the women who die EVERY MINUTE from violent crimes expected to
go to bed tonight, and get up tomorrow. No one expects it, but we must be
prepared and be aware so that we HAVE A PLAN. BE PREPARED TO ACT! AND ACT
HARD!
HAVE A PLAN!
More Safety suggestions for women from emails that I have received....
- Learned this from a tourist guide to New Orleans: If a robber asks for
your wallet and/or purse, DO NOT HAND IT TO HIM. Toss it away from
you.... chances are that he is more interested in your wallet and/or
purse than in you and he will go for the wallet/purse. RUN LIKE MAD IN THE
OTHER DIRECTION!
- "About a month ago there was a woman standing by the mall entrance
passing out flyers to all the women going in. The woman had written the
flyer herself to tell about an experience she had, so that she might warn
other women. The previous day, this woman had finished shopping, went out to
her car and discovered that she had a flat. She got the jack out of the
trunk and began to change the flat. A nice man dressed in business suit and
carrying a briefcase walked up to her and said, "I noticed you're changing a
flat tire. Would you like me to take care of it for you?" The woman was
grateful for his offer and accepted his help. They chatted amiably while the
man changed the flat, and then put the flat tire and the jack in the trunk,
shut it and dusted his hands off. The woman thanked him profusely, and as
she was about to get in her car, the man told her that he left his car
around on the other side of the mall, and asked if she would mind giving him
a lift to his car. She was a little surprised and she asked him why his car
was on other side. He explained that he had seen an old friend in the mall
that he hadn't seen for some time and they had a bite to eat and visited for
a while; he got turned around in the mall and left through the wrong exit,
and now he was running late and his car was clear around on the other side
of the mall. The woman hated to tell him "no" because he had just rescued
her from having to change her flat tire all by herself, but she felt uneasy.
Then she remembered seeing the man put his briefcase in her trunk before
shutting it and before he asked her for a ride to his car. She told him that
she'd be happy to drive him around to his car, but she just remembered one
last thing she needed to buy. She said she would only be a few minutes; he
could sit down in her car and wait for her; she would be as quick as she
could be. She hurried into the mall, and told a security guard what had
happened; the guard came out to her car with her, but the man had left. They
opened the trunk, took out his locked briefcase and took it down to the
police station. The police opened it (ostensibly to look for ID so they
could return it to the man). What they found was rope, duct tape, and
knives. When the police checked her "flat" tire, there was nothing wrong
with it; the air had simply been let out. It was obvious what the man's
intention was, and obvious that he had carefully thought it out in advance.
"
- THROUGH A RAPIST'S EYES: A group of rapists and date rapists in prison
were interviewed on what they look for in a potential victim and here are
some interesting facts: The first thing men look for in a potential victim
is hairstyle. They are most likely to go after a woman with a ponytail, bun,
braid or other hairstyle that can easily be grabbed. They are also likely to
go after a woman with long hair. Women with short hair are not common
targets.
The second thing men look for is clothing. They will look for women who's
clothing is easy to remove quickly. Many of them carry scissors around to
cut clothing. They also look for women on their cell phone, searching
through their purse or doing other activities while walking because they are
off guard and can be easily overpowered.
The time of day men are most likely to attack and rape a woman is in the
early morning, between 5 and 8:30 a.m. The number one place women are
abducted from/attacked at is grocery store parking lots. Number two is
office parking lots/garages. Number three is public restrooms. The thing
about these men is that they are looking to grab a woman and quickly move
her to a second location where they don't have to worry about getting
caught.
Only 2% said they carried weapons because rape carries a 3-5 year
sentence but rape with a weapon is 15-20 years. If you put up any kind of a
fight at all, they get discouraged because it only takes a minute or two for
them to realize that going after you isn't worth it because it will be
time-consuming. These men said they would not pick on women who have
umbrellas, or other similar objects that can be used from a distance, in
their hands. Keys are not a deterrent because you have to get really close
to the attacker to use them as a weapon. So, the idea is to convince these
guys you're not worth it.
Several defense mechanisms he taught us are: If someone is following
behind you on a street or in a garage or with you in an elevator or
stairwell, look them in the face and ask them a question, like what time is
it, or make general small talk, I can't believe it is so cold out here,
we're in for a bad winter. Now you've seen their face and could identify
them in a lineup, you lose appeal as a target. If someone is coming toward
you, hold out your hands in front of you and yell Stop or Stay back! Most of
the rapists this man talked to said they'd leave a woman alone if she yelled
or showed that she would not be afraid to fight back. Again, they are
looking for an EASY target. If you carry pepper spray (this instructor was a
huge advocate of it and carries it with him wherever he goes, yelling I HAVE
PEPPER SPRAY and holding it out will be a deterrent.
If someone grabs you, you can't beat them with strength but you can by
outsmarting them. If you are grabbed around the waist from behind, pinch the
attacker either under the arm between the elbow and armpit or in the upper
inner thigh -- HARD. One woman in a class this guy taught told him she used
the underarm pinch on a guy who was trying to date rape her and was so upset
she broke through the skin and tore out muscle strands - the guy needed
stitches. Try pinching yourself in those places as hard as you can stand it;
it hurts. After the initial hit, always go for the groin. I know from a
particularly unfortunate experience that if you slap a guy's parts it is
extremely painful. You might think that you'll anger the guy and make him
want to hurt you more, but the thing these rapists told our instructor is
that they want a woman who will not cause a lot of trouble. Start causing
trouble, and he's out of there. When the guy puts his hands up to you, grab
his first two fingers and bend them back as far as possible with as much
pressure pushing down on them as possible. The instructor did it to me
without using much pressure, and I ended up on my knees and both knuckles
cracked audibly.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Blacknet News & Information for the Black Community Forums Archives
January 13, 2004
IMPORTANT CORRECTION
CORRECTION: It has been brought to our attention that a recently
published article on this site, entitled "Through a Rapist's Eyes",
contained inaccurate/false information, as has been advised by the Met who
did NOT originally issue this item back in October 2003; we have been
informed as follows:
- this is NOT a Project Sapphire / Metropolitan Police document. As far
as Project Sapphire is aware, no such "survey" of convicted rapists has ever
been commissioned. Significant parts of the advice are not helpful. It also
needs to be stressed that less than 10% of reported rapes are stranger
attacks.*
For information, and advice, on rape/sexual assault you can visit the
Sapphire website
Blacknet UK wish to apologise to all users groups, visitors and members
who may have read and/or acted upon any information contained in the
offending article and for any inconvenience, suffering or distress this may
have caused.
We also wish to thank the individual who brought this matter to our
attention.
Regards
Ross Gould
(* extract from forwarded Met email)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Of course the things we always hear still apply. Always be aware of your
surroundings, take someone with you if you can and if you see any odd
behavior, don't dismiss it, go with your instincts. You may feel a little
silly at the time, but you'd feel much worse if the guy really was trouble.
|
HEART ATTACKS: if you start
experiencing severe pain in your chest that starts to radiate out into your arm
and up into your jaw...
- Since many people are alone when they suffer a heart attack, without help,
the person whose heart is beating improperly and who begins to feel faint, has
only about 10 seconds left before losing consciousness. However, these victims
can help themselves by coughing repeatedly and very vigorously. A
deep breath should be taken before each cough, and the cough must be deep
and prolonged, as when producing sputum from deep inside the chest. A breath
and a cough must be repeated about every two seconds without let-up
until help arrives, or until the heart is felt to be beating normally again.
Deep breaths get oxygen into the lungs and coughing movements squeeze the
heart and keep the blood circulating. The squeezing pressure on the heart also
helps it regain normal rhythm. In this way, hearth attack victims can get to a
hospital.
- Also, just remember that Aspirin is supposed to help save your life if you
take it during a heart attack.
MOSQUITOES AND WEST NILE
What you should know about Insect
repellent
What
everyone should know about West Nile
Five steps to avoid West Nile Virus this summer:
- Avoid being outdoors at dusk and dawn, when mosquitoes are most active.
- Wear long sleeved shirts and pants to cover as much skin as possible.
Socks and running shoes are beneficial. Wear light coloured clothes, dark
colours attract mosquitoes.
- Avoid perfumes when outdoors.
- Empty any areas of standing water (eg. buckets, tires, wheelbarrows, etc).
These places are breeding ground for mosquitoes.
- Wear the appropriate repellent for the duration of exposure to mosquitoes.
DRIVING:
Story: Lauren, is a19 yr. old and a
sophomore in college. This happened to her over the Christmas/New Year's
holiday break. It was the Saturday before New Year's and it was about 1pm in
the afternoon. Lauren was driving from here (Winchester, Va.) to visit a
friend in Warrenton. For those of you who are familiar with the area, she was
taking Rt. 50 East. Those of you who aren't familiar with this area, Rt. 50
East is a main road (55 mph and two lanes each side with a big median
separating East/West lanes), but is somewhat secluded, known for it's big
horse farms and beautiful country estates. Lauren was actually following
behind a state police car shortly after she left Winchester and was going just
over 65 mph since she was following behind him. An UNMARKED police car pulled
up behind her and put his lights on. My friend and her husband have 4 children
(high school and college age) and have always told them never to pull over for
an unmarked car on the side of the road, but rather wait until they get to a
gas station, etc. So Lauren actually listened to her parents advice, and
promptly called #77 on her cell phone to tell the dispatcher that she would
not pull over right away. She proceeded to tell the dispatcher that there were
2 police cars, one unmarked behind her and one marked in front of her. The
dispatcher checked to confirm that there were 2 police cars where she was.
There wasn't and she was connected to the policeman in front of her. He told
her to keep driving, remain calm and that he had back-up already on the way.
Ten minutes later, 4 police cars surrounded her and the unmarked car behind
her. One policeman went to her side and the others surrounded the car behind.
They pulled the guy from the car and tackled him to the ground ... the man was
a convicted rapist and wanted for other crimes.
Moral:
1) Listen to your parents!
2) You should NEVER pull over for an unmarked car in a secluded area.
3) In fact, even a marked car after dark should follow you to a populated
area. Apparently police have to respect your right to keep going to a
"safe" place (You obviously need to make some signals that you
acknowledge them (i.e. put on your hazard lights) or call #77 like Lauren
did.)
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/ - The
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website. Great safety
information, as well as a
kids section.
FIRE:
Top 10 Safety Tips How to make your house a safe home:
- Fit a smoke alarm and check it regularly
- Make a fire action plan so that everyone in your house knows how to escape
in the event of fire
- Take care when cooking with hot oil and think about using thermostatically
controlled deep fat fryers
- Never leave lit candles unattended
- Ensure cigarettes are stubbed out and disposed of carefully
- Never smoke in bed
- Keep matches and lighters away from children
- Keep clothing away from heating appliances
- Take care in the kitchen! Accidents whilst cooking account for 59% of
fires in the home
- Take special care when you are tired or when you've been drinking. Half of
all deaths in domestic fires happen between 10pm and 8am.
( Fire Safety advice taken from an interview
from British Broadcasting Corporation © 2002-2003 Broadcasting House, Portland
Place, London, W1A 1AA) BLACKOUTS
http://www.redcross.org/services/disaster/keepsafe/blackout.html - good tips
for rolling blackouts, which should apply to any blackout. PHONE SAFETY
http://www.scambusters.org/809Scam.html - Be careful when returning messages
of people you don't know. Especially if it is a 809 area code. It could be an
international toll number that could really cost you a lot on your bill! Read
this link for accurate information... STOLEN WALLET/CHECKBOOK SAFETY:
A corporate attorney sent the following out to the employees in his company:
REGARDING CHECKS:
- The next time you order checks have only your initials (instead of
first name) and last name put on them. (If someone takes your checkbook they
will not know if you sign your checks with just your initials or your first
name but your bank will know how you sign your checks. )
- When you are writing checks to pay on your credit card accounts, DO NOT
put the complete account number on the "For" line. Instead, just put the
last four numbers. The credit card company knows the rest of the number
and anyone who might be handling your check as it passes through all the check
processing channels won't have access to it.
- Put your work phone # on your checks instead of your home phone. If
you have a PO Box, use that instead of your home. Never have your SS#
printed on your checks (DUH!) you can add it if it is necessary. But if you
have it printed, anyone can get it.
REGARDING STOLEN WALLETS:
- Place the contents of your wallet on a photocopy machine, do both
sides of each license, credit card, etc. You will know what you had in your
wallet and all of the account numbers and phone numbers to call and cancel.
Keep the photocopy in a safe place. I also carry a photocopy of my passport
when I travel either here or abroad. We have been told we should cancel our
credit cards immediately. But the key is having the toll free numbers and your
card numbers handy so you know whom to call. Keep those where you can find
them easily.
- File a police report immediately in the jurisdiction where it was
stolen, this proves to credit providers you were diligent, and is a first step
toward an investigation (if there ever is one).
"Unfortunately I, an attorney, have firsthand knowledge because my wallet was
stolen last month. Within a week, the thieve(s) ordered an expensive monthly
cell phone package, applied for a VISA credit card, had a credit line approved
to buy a Gateway computer, received a PIN number from DMV to change my driving
record information online, and more. "
But here's what is perhaps most important: (I never even thought to do
this).
- Call the three national credit reporting organizations immediately (see
#'s below) to place a fraud alert on your name and Social Security number. I
had never heard of doing that until advised by a bank that called to tell me
an application for credit was made over the Internet in my name. The alert
means any company that checks your credit knows your information was stolen
and they have to contact you by phone to authorize new credit.
"By the time I was advised to do this, almost two weeks after the theft, all
the damage had been done. There are records of all the credit checks initiated
by the thieves' purchases, none of which I knew about before placing the alert.
Since then, no additional damage has been done, and the thieves threw my wallet
away this weekend. (someone turned it in). It seems to have stopped them in
their tracks. "
Credit Reporting Organizations:
- Equifax: 1-800-525-6285
- Experian (formerly TRW): 1-888-397-3742
- Trans Union: 1-800-680-7289
- Social Security Administration (fraud line): 1-800-269-0271
|
isty's
Personal Web Page
