11. Act like you know.
“Walk like you know where you’re going, make eye contact with strangers, and don’t wear fancy clothes/purses/backpacks when walking around the neighborhood or using public transport.” — Lulu_42
12. Ask a bouncer.
“I was a bouncer at a popular college bar for a couple years. Here’s tips from my experience (ranging anywhere from personal skills to self defense, haha):
Surround yourself with people who make you feel safe. There’s a difference between feeling comfortable and feeling safe. You could be comfortable with strangers— maybe you just met them and they’re nice. You might not be safe around those people, i.e. would those people help you if someone had a gun to your head, or run for their own safety? Find the people who you know would take a punch to keep you safe.
If someone asks you for money on the spot, say, ‘Ah, sorry, I don’t have any cash on me.’ If they ask you for money in a different context, like someone you know, don’t do it. Only causes problems.
If you think someone is acting noticeably weird, it’s because they are. Take note, maybe go away from them. If you’re in a public place tell someone in charge to keep an eye on them, it doesn’t hurt.
Women: I know it gets said often, but don’t walk alone. It’s f***ing disgusting that we live in a world where women have to be afraid, but unfortunately we do. I’d recommend walking with a man whenever possible, a lot of the women I worked with would talk about how they still got harassed even when in a group. A lot of cities/campuses have services for walking people places at night free of charge.
Always have 1-2 ‘ways out’ planned in your head when you’re anywhere. The place I worked at had a shooting a few months before I worked there and I had to watch the footage. Nobody was killed (thank god) but it would’ve been a lot less dangerous had everyone thought of an exit plan.
When someone tries to fight you: If you know how to fight well, make sure there’s witnesses who will stay, and make it clear that you don’t want to fight. Say things like ‘He’s making me do this! I don’t want to fight but he’s making me! I tried to walk away!’ That helps you out when cops come after. If you can’t fight, try persistently to de-escalate the situation. If they won’t stop and are pursuing/attacking you, run to someone in charge if you’re at an establishment, and if you’re in public, try to find a group of people and be loud, making it clear that you need help.
Fighting tip— use the space around you. Not a lot of people think about their environment as a weapon, but it’s incredibly helpful. If you’re in danger, it’s not a chair, it’s something to push the other over. It’s not an empty glass, it’s a hitting/throwing tool. It’s helpful to remember this.
Lastly, be happy. It’s a tall order, but I saw a lot of unhappy regulars at the bar. They never noticed the little things, like when your bill comes out to an even dollar amount, like when it’s extra sunny— the small things that make us happy that people don’t acknowledge unless mentioned.” — badgerfishing
13. Stay off your phone.
“Do NOT walk in the streets using your cellphone (typing, reddit, memes, doesn’t matter). I’ve seen people walking straight into traffic because of this, or at least being mugged. If you really need to, go to a store and then use it.” — rip_andtear
14. Have your keys ready.
“Always get your keys out before you leave a building to go to your car, and have them in hand as you exit it before you go into your house. Not only are they a great weapon if needed, but you aren’t distracted in the search for them.” — notthesedays
15. Look to the helpers.
“If at all possible, avoid fights, or people that seem like they’re looking for a fight. De-escalate, walk away, find help, whatever. Don’t be afraid to approach an employee if you’re at a venue or store and someone is harassing you. Having worked briefly as security, it was the highlight of my day if I could actually help someone out of a situation rather than act as a glorified usher.” — Dadanoosh
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