12 Ways To Avoid Being A Victim

Street Scenes

12 Ways To Avoid

Being A Victim

by William Cleveland, Jr. & Herbert Moss

January 30, 2019

Is this you?  You’re single. You live alone and you usually walk alone.  You read the newspapers, watch the news daily and record mentally what’s going on out there in the streets of your city.  Crime is everywhere in all neighborhoods across the country and if you’re cautious about being out alone, you’re in a majority.

For singles who wish to minimize their chances of becoming a victim, here are some great tips to digest.

• Trust in God.  Remember, when you walk with Him, you are never alone.  Ask Him to protect you at all times.
• Don’t be careless.  Criminals look for open opportunities and unsuspecting targets.  Don’t sit at a stoplight and read or text.  Keep your eyes open and be alert until the light changes.  A friend got car-jacked in her brand new car while sitting at a red light texting.
• If you have to go out alone at night, walk fast and confidently with your hand in your purse or pocket, with a stern look on your face when you pass a stranger.  (It’s important to wear a look that says, “I’m not someone to mess with.”
• Study your surroundings wherever you are and evaluate the people near you.  When you’re out, be on guard.  An observant person is a tough target.
• Don’t advertise.  Those who are looking for a victim, whether to rape, mug or car jack, will choose a person who has what they are looking for.  A person who flaunts what a criminal wants may be attracting some unwanted attention. Don’t wear expensive, flashy jewelry on public transportation or when you go grocery shopping, day or night.  Don’t talk on your I-Phone walking down the street.
• Stay with the crowd and on the beaten path.  There really is safety in numbers.  Stay where the people are, even if you have to walk a little farther.  Solitary paths and walkways offer prime opportunities for criminals.
• Avoid or minimize your use of automatic teller machines located outdoors..  Increasingly, this is becoming the easy mark of choice for criminals.  Do your banking inside the bank.  Let the ATM be an emergency alternative in the daytime.  A cousin was robbed using an ATM on the street.
• Avoid arguments and controversy.  If challenged or mistreated in public, walk away if you can’t talk it out.  A few choice words are never worth a life.
• If you see a fight, go the other way.  Fights tend to draw crowds and attention, and if shots are fired, innocent onlookers stand the chance of being injured or killed.  A friend’s sister was killed watching two guys fighting when the bullets started flying.  If possible, don’t allow yourself to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
• Watch who you go out with.  Be smitten, but pay attention.  Be careful who you take home.  Careful and thoughtful observation in the initial stage of dating can help avoid getting involved with someone who has violent tendencies.  If he/she displays an unstable or unusual temperament…back away immediately.
• Don’t let everyone know you live alone. Be careful who you let into your home.  If you’re not sure of the stranger at your door, don’t open it.  When you receive a package and you’re at home alone, pretend you’re talking to someone else, before opening the door.  It’s important that you are considered not to be home alone.
• Don’t leave your purse on the front seat of your car.  Car windows are still being smashed by street thieves.  Put your purse in the trunk, in the glove compartment, or on the floor beneath you