Common Mistakes That Could Result In Being Attacked, Raped, Kidnapped or Murdered

Posted on January 2, 2008
Filed Under Common Mistakes Resulting in Being Attacked, or Murdered

It seems we hear way too often about some young college girl being murdered, or a pregnant wife who has been missing for months found dead in some off the beaten path, wooded area. Whenever I hear of these stories, I wonder what these young ladies were doing when the incident happened. Were they oblivious to what was going on around them or were they surprised by a sudden attacker?

I found an interesting article that I want to share with you by a criminal justice professional who would like to remain anonymous. This person has some good tips that all women should make note of and keep fresh in their mind for future reference. As I have said before you should have a plan of action of what you would do in the event you are ever attacked by some dirtbag predator. Maybe it will never happen to you, and pray that it doesn’t. But if it did, you will be much better off if you have gone over in your mind what you would do - your plan of action.

To ensure that you aren’t a victim - here are some common mistakes women make that could result in them being kidnapped, attacked, and/or raped:

1. Getting into the attacker’s car when he pulls a gun and orders you to get into his vehicle. Most attackers don’t want to shoot you..they want you to get into the car so that they can drive you to a deserted place and torture you, rape you, or murder you. Don’t comply. Run screaming. It is MUCH more likely than not that he will just move on to an easier target.

2. Pulling over when a man drives along side of you pointing at your car pretending something is wrong. If this happens, drive to the nearest well-lit and most populated gas station and look the car over yourself (or ask an attendant). Never pull over when a stranger signals you to. Believe it or not, many women have fallen for this for fear of their car spontaneously exploding in the middle of the road. Not likely. Find a safe place where there are people around before you stop.

3. Not locking your car doors while driving. The newer cars automatically lock once you put your car in drive. You will need to manually lock the older car doors. But do it. It’s such an easy habit to get into and it could save your life. There are several cases where the attacker simply walks up to a woman’s car while she’s at a traffic light and jumps in with his gun or knife drawn. At this point you are at his mercy. DON’T LET THIS HAPPEN TO YOU!!

4. Opening your front door when you have not positively identified who is there. If you don’t have a peep hole, get one. I’ve seen countless cases where the attacker gains access to its victims simply by knocking on their door. Don’t let an attacker get into your home. He then has a private, relatively soundproof place to attack you.

5. Not being alert in parking lots. If you go to the grocery store at night, don’t be shy about asking for an escort to your car. Too many women are abducted from parking lots or even raped in the parking lot. Look in your back seat before entering your car. Cars provide endless hiding places for attackers, both inside them and in between them. Be aware of your surroundings by looking to the left and right and behind you with your head up all the time. You may appear paranoid and look funny to others, but an attacker will think twice about approaching someone who appears very aware of what’s going on.

6. Trusting a clean cut, honest looking stranger. I see mug shots of every sex offender in the State of Florida. They do not look like monsters. They often look like they could be your friendly grocer, bank teller, waiter, neighbor, doctor, etc. They are every age between 15 and 90. Only a small minority actually look scary. I just read a case yesterday of a man with only one leg who beat up his victim with his crutch before he raped her. Who would have ever thought that a one-legged man could be a rapist?

7. Trusting people to be alone with your children. This is a difficult one because child molesters end up being the last person the parent would believe is the molester. Most of the child molesting cases involve the stepfather, the uncle, the sister’s boyfriend, the mother’s boyfriend, etc. Although rare, even women can be molesters. In every case, the perpetrator is a nice guy, trusting, good with children, and the family is baffled or even in disbelief that the person could be abusing their child. When it comes to your children and grandchildren, be suspicious of everyone, no matter who they are. And pay attention to what you child says and how he/she reacts to the mention of different people in their lives.

It was not the intention of this criminal justice professional to make anyone uncomfortable, only to make women aware of stupid mistakes that could cause them to end up attacked, victimized, or even murdered. Now wouldn’t you rather be a little uncomfortable than the alternative to being attacked?

Ladies …Stay Aware…Stay Alert…Stay Alive

Share on Facebook