Personal Safety

CRIMINAL OPPORTUNITY VICTIM CRIME TRIANGLE

Awareness Prevention Precaution Preparation Against Becoming a victim of any crime

 Go with friends or family, not alone.  If someone or something makes you uneasy, trust your instincts & leave. If someone drives you home, ask them to wait until you are safely inside.  If you see an open door or a broken window, go to a neighbor’s house and call police. DO NOT GO INTO THE HOUSE!

 Carry your purse close to your body, not dangling by the straps.  Put a wallet in an inside coat pocket or front pants pocket.  Don’t carry credit cards that you don’t need to.  Don’t carry large amounts of cash.  Use direct deposit for your social security or other regular checks. When returning home, have your house key in hand BEFORE you get to your door.

 Choose a well-lit space.  Note where you parked.  Look around before you get out of your car.  Lock all doors while you’re IN the car and when you leave it. PARKING…

 Have your car key ready before you reach you car.  Before you get into your car, check that no one is hiding in it.  Keep purses and packages out of sight -- in the trunk or under a seat.

 Locks  Make sure you can get out in case of a fire (practice)  Be careful to not make yourself a target  Hard of hearing signs  Location of Wheelchair ramps

 Ask for photo identification from service or delivery people before letting them in.  If you are the least bit worried, call their company to verify who they are.  Consider a home alarm system that provides monitoring for medical and non-medical emergencies.

Many Burglars spend no more than one minute trying to break into a home. Keep your home and yourself from being easy targets.

 Remove or prune bushes that hide windows and doors.  Light your outside entrances, garage doors, pathways, stairwells, and trash and parking areas.  Put only your initial and last name on mailboxes.  Don’t leave ladders or tools outside.

 Install a peephole or wide-angle viewer.  Be sure that outside doors are solid metal or hardwood.  You should have a deadbolt lock with at least a 1-inch throw on exterior doors.  Be sure all windows have locking devices.  Remember to secure basement and attic windows

 Be sure your street address number is large and clear of obstruction.  Address should be well lighted at dark so police an other emergency personnel can find your home quickly. 123 Main Street123 Main Street

 Trust your instinct  If something doesn’t seem right, it probably isn’t  Report people/vehicles who don’t appear to belong in your area  Write down license plates  Try to remember description of person  Have your local police non-emergency phone number on hand

 Don’t fall for anything that sounds too good to be true.  A free vacation  Sweepstakes prizes  Cures for cancer, arthritis, or other diseases  A low risk, high yield investment scheme

 Never give your credit card, bank account number, phone card, or social security, to anyone over the phone.  It is illegal for telemarketers to ask for these numbers to verify a prize or gift winner.

 Don’t let anyone rush you into signing anything.  An insurance policy  A sales agreement  A contract  Read it carefully and have someone you trust check it over, too.

 Be aware of individuals claiming to represent companies, consumer organizations, or government agencies that offer to recover lost money from fraudulent telemarketers for a fee.  If you’re suspicious, check it out with the police, the Better Business Bureau, or your local consumer protection office.

 “to obtain, possess, or use any personal identifying information of any living or dead person with the intent to fraudulently obtain credit, property, or services or avoid the payment of a debt or any other legal obligation”  The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) estimates that more than 10 million adults will become victims of Identity Fraud this year.

 Thefts of wallets or purses  Theft of mail  Someone does a “Change of address” form  Dumpster diving  Personal information from work, home, or Internet  Personal information obtained from“inside sources”  Fraudulently obtaining credit reports

 How is your personal information used  Minimize the number of credit cards  Personal information over phone  Buy a shredder  Do not leave personal information out to see  Credit reports from 3 major credit bureaus

 Contact creditors  Fraud department-phone & in writing  Close accounts  Contact police department in a timely manner  Contact fraud department of the 3 major credit bureaus  TransUnion ( )  Experian ( )  Equifax ( )

 A woman is raped every 46 seconds in America  Four women are killed by their abusive partners every day  14% of all American women acknowledge being abused by their spouse  75% of every rape is committed by a man that the victim knows Based on these statistics, it’s possible that at some point in your life you or someone you love will be a victim of violent crime

 If you see or sense problems, change your route and prepare to run or defend yourself  Do not act or look like an easy target-look confident!  Decide now what you are going to fight for  Mentally prepare yourself for an altercation  You may only have one opportunity to defend yourself..DO NOT lose it

 Home  Neighborhood  Work  Shopping  Unfamiliar areas  Parking garages  Dating

Use your “natural tools” to help protect and defend yourself Intuition is an extremely effective barometer of trouble

 One of the most effective techniques for preventing an assault.  A learned behavior.  Know what you want or need and....  Have the ability to express those needs comfortably and honestly.  When you say “no” and you are ignored, a red flag should immediately rise

 90% of our communication is non-verbal!  How do we appear?  How do we walk or stand?  Don’t look or act like an easy target

 Maintaining eye contact.  Different ways of looking convey different messages.  Don’t look intimidated…even if you are!

 You do not deserve to be attacked!  There are no rules!  Bite, Scratch, Groin strikes  Size does not matter!  Commitment counts!  CRIME SCENE 2 IS ALWAYS WORSE THAN CRIME SCENE 1 !!

PREVENTION Is always better than REACTION

 Report any crime or suspicious activities to law enforcement.  Join a Neighborhood Watch to look out for each other and help the police.  Volunteer for the police or fire departments.  Take the Citizen’s Police or Fire Academy

Questions? Concerns?