Prevent A Crime By Having A Safety Plan In Place - Part II
Posted on March 22, 2008
Filed Under Empower Yourself, Fighting back, Gut-feelings on Personal Safety, Personal Security, Personal protection devices, Security and Safety Tips, Self-Defense Tactics, Self-Defense Training
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By Susan Bartelstone, Crime Prevention and Personal Safety Specialist
Making a Safety Plan. Perhaps the most important component is #4—coming up with a plan of action quickly. But, how can you be sure you’ll be able to think of response options if you’re terrified? And, in 20 seconds, no less?
The best way to be mentally prepared for a criminal encounter is by having a Safety Plan in place beforehand. Start your own process off by doing the Safety Plan Exercise below:
1. Identify at least five potential safety problems or dangerous situations in your personal life or daily routine that cause you concern.
2. Do some research: collect safety tip pamphlets; read personal safety and self defense books; watch videos. Also study books on defusing confrontations and maybe take a self defense course or three. *
3. Then formulate a plan of action for each of the problems you’ve identified that details everything you could do and say in that instance. The more options you’re familiar with, the quicker you’ll be able to come up with a safe response should something happen.
4. Write down your Safety Plans on your computer or in a notebook and rehearse them periodically so they become internalized (component #5 of the 20- Second Response). That way your response to any anticipated danger will be automatic and speedy.
Here’s a great example of a successful Safety Plan: a woman in one of my Workshops in New York City was worried about coming home late on the subway after her college classes. First she determined where the video surveillance waiting area was (usually a safer place to wait for the train) but she decided that it was too far away from the exit stairs in case of trouble. She found she could stand at the top of stairs closest to the token booth (her source of assistance in case of trouble) and still see the train coming in enough time to make it down to the platform. She learned how to find the car with the engineer (the best subway car to ride in) and she bought
a canister of pepper foam spray* to carry with her.
About one year after she took my Workshop, she e-mailed me that someone actually did confront her on the platform one night (as she had feared) but that she knew exactly where to run to for help and how to respond..which she did loudly. From her description of the incident, I was pretty sure she’d responded easily within 20 seconds.
Read Part III of Prevent A Crime By Having A Safety Plan In Place
Remember, Stay Aware…Stay Alert…Stay Alive!
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Cheryl
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