Impaired judgement

We have all had some occassion to make bad choices, but never so much as when judgement is impaired by the use of alcohol and drugs. Certainly this is not a new problem, I'm sure that men have taken advantage of impaired women for centuries, or longer. We probably all know better than to meet strangers in bars, or maybe not. There are some men that will tilt the scales in their favor by drugging you without your knowledge or consent, and then rape you when you can't defend yourself. We should never have any open drink when we are not among trustworthy friends. Notice, I did not say trusted, but trustworthy. Women that have been abused as children can often not tell the difference between trustworthy and untrustworthy men, so becoming impaired is never a good idea.

Teens need to be made aware of this danger before they find out the hard way. Peer pressure makes bad choices all of the time. Teach your children how to have safe boundaries, and how to stand their ground when being pressured by ANYONE. Girls can push other girls into bad situations as certainly as boys can.

Being aware of your surroundings, not too busy texting or on the phone or with ear-pieces for music........ do not make yourself a target by being oblivious to what is going on around you. When using your cell phone in public places, NEVER talk loudly telling your plans of where you are going or [pay attention teens] announce that your parents think you are really going somewhere else...... TARGET! Any predator hearing such information will gladly follow you until they can gain easy access to you.

Avoid jogging/running alone, traveling alone on public transportation, walking on dark streets where nobody is able to assist you.
I know, this is harder to accomplish if you're a single woman living alone.
One way to be safer, believe it or not, is to readily look strangers in the eye and say hello as they walk near you, getting a clear look at their face makes you less of a target, and saying a cheerful greeting puts them in mind of the fact that you have seen them.

That kinda flies in the face of the old standby; never speak to strangers....
but really makes better sense.
Avoid getting within arm's reach of strangers. This is always best, maintain an area of space around yourself, your personal zone of comfort.
No trespassers!

Some women want to carry a weapon. Keep in mind, it could be taken away from you and used against you. Mace [or pepper spray] is safer than a knife or gun, but the simplest things are best; wear enough clothing to cover your body well. Skin showing, or underwear showing can trigger bad acts from some men. The porn industry relies on that fact.
Advertising companies rely on that fact. Men are visually aroused before anything else.
If they see it, they want to see more, if they see more, they want it.
Make good use of your full length mirror before going out every day.
Turn your back on the mirror, then turn around quickly, and see what is the first thing you notice about yourself. If your eyes are drawn to your hair or face, that's good, if your clothing makes you notice any of your private areas right away, you need to rethink your outfit.
Designer jeans direct the eyes towards your private areas.
Tops that are low cut in the neckline advertise too much.
Fitted clothes with decoration along the bustline or patch pockets on the backside can give the wrong attention to others.

Personally, I avoid wearing a belt and shoe laces, because both items have been used when my father attacked me to tie my wrists. I wear slip on shoes and no belts.
I don't make all of the safest choices though, as I do like to wear a scarf in the winter, so I make my own of bulky yarns so they are less useful for making strong knots.
It is still possible to be strangled, and if you are already subdued,
your own pantyhose or stockings can be used against you. I don't wear those either, but wear socks [short ankle ones].

If you are out driving by yourself, NEVER open your window or door to speak to a male policeman, insist they get a female officer on the scene.
This goes double if someone hits your car, some guys cause an accident so they can get you out of your car.
It is also true that, some guys will hit you with your car when you are walking, so they can get out to take you 'to the hospital', and get you into their car and take you away.

Get self defense training as soon as possible. Get your girl friends together for self defense lessons. You might get a group rate.

We are not safer just because we get to be old and unattractive either, and should never think all of our efforts make us entirely safe,
there is likely somebody out there that targets old fat and shabby looking women, so don't be caught off guard.

Nursing homes have offenders in them too. Elder abuse is a serious problem, since you may really be at their mercy. I keep my finger nails sharp, in a nursing home, sharp toenails might be a good idea too.
Our legs are stronger than our arms. If you can't run, kick.

BE LOUD and don't be silent. Offenders don't want anyone to notice what they are up to. Make a whole lot of noise.

I have been blessed with really strong teeth. I am not afraid to bite, and draw blood. I once badly bruised a guy right through his denim jeans.
He didn't make any mistakes with me again.

Yeah, I knew him. He complained about the bruise. I bit until HE was screaming.

Children need special self defense instructions. Tailor the general ideas of boundaries and awareness to their understanding.
ALL children need to know their own name, parents names and address and phone number.
Make up a song and they will learn it and remember it.
Take them around their own neighborhood when they are very young, and teach them the names of the streets, introduce them to neighbors by name,
and mention that "Mommy doesn't know those people, they are strangers".
Teach them to never go away with an adult who promises candy or a puppy or kitten if they come along. "Not without my Mommy/Daddy" is something they can practice saying.

Check the security in your children's schools. Are all faculty members and staff finger printed and background checked?
Is there someone watching all doors for intruders?
Can parents roam the halls unattended?
Is the playground safe?
Is the parking lot safe?
What is the proceedure if you are late picking them up?
Are they aware of any special need for protection from an estranged family member?

Do you have ideas I didn't think of including? Make comments.