RAPE: 10 Ways to Protect Yourself & Children

Ololade Hector – Fowobaje

It’s sad how rape has become so rampant in today’s society. Though no one wishes to be a rape victim, adopting these 10 tips and orientating your children will make you all safer.

1. Know Your Environment And Stay Aware

If you have just moved to an estate or any neighbourhood, find out usual dangerous spots and situations (if any) from the old residents and warn your children.

Don’t go jogging in lonely or dark places. Avoid jogging with any listening device because attackers are looking for easy, distracted prey. The same can be said for talking on your cell phone. On the other hand, if you feel someone is following you on foot, it can help to pull out your cell phone and pretend to be talking to someone while you seek an escape route. Your attacker may back-off because your ‘conversation partner’ would be aware of an attack. You can pretend that you are meeting up with someone and they are already here or heading this way VERY soon. Don’t say ‘5 minutes’ or the attacker may only decide to take action quicker. If they think you are in safe hands or will be in less than a minute, they might back off.

2. Trust Your Guts

It could save you from being raped or worse. If you feel uneasy or unsure in anyway, it is in your best interest to get away and get help. Use common sense. If anyone makes you feel uncomfortable, seek an immediate and smart escape.

3. Harm Yourself And Be Trained

Anything that could hurt a potential attacker can also be used against you if you are not well trained and comfortable with it. The Stun Gun is a popular non-lethal self-defence weapon. It delivers high voltage electric charges, which temporarily disables the attacker. Some stun guns also come with extremely bright flashlight. Wildfire 18% pepper spray or pepper spray lipstick are also defence weapons, which will cause temporary blindness when sprayed at the assailant’s face. You should know how to use these effectively if you carry them. Read the manuals and practice how to use them as there won’t be time to fidget with buttons and noozles in the face of an attack.

Remember, that even your shoes, an umbrella or purse can be used as a weapon against an attacker, and has less chance of being turned against you.

4. Work on being assertive

If somebody is giving you unwanted attention, tell them to back off. There is no need to be polite when somebody is making unwanted sexual advances.

5. Stay careful at parties and restaurants

Don’t drink anything that somebody gives you; always open and order your own drinks. Never leave a drink unattended for even a moment. Keep your hand over the top of your drink. Do not accept a drink from a date unless the bartender or waiter has delivered it straight to you. Don’t want to be rude? Take it to the restroom with you and dump. It’s also better to take corked drinks instead of squashes, chapman and such prepared by God knows who!

Check to make sure the cork is intact and make sure it’s opened in front of you.

DO NOT leave yourself or friends alone with someone you have a very bad feeling about. Tell other people where you are going. Beware of public bathrooms in restaurants, malls and hotels. Women have been attacked in the ladies/ toilet if it is deserted.

Be careful where you go. Sometimes, the music at parties is so loud that nobody will be able to hear you cry for help if attacked.

6. Work on being assertive

If somebody is giving you unwanted attention, tell them to back off. There is no need to be polite when somebody is making unwanted sexual advances.

7. Be careful generally!

Practice being careful when going into your house or car because someone could easily push you in and lock the door behind you. Be aware of your surroundings; carry your keys ready in your hand and look around you before opening the door.

Don’t advertise your information verbally or on the Internet. Also, be very wary of meeting up with people that you meet on the Internet; even if they ask to meet in a public place.

Bring a dog if you have one when going for a walk alone. If you have a dog with you, it’s like having another person with you. Large dogs are intimidating to predators, even if your pet isn’t exactly brave. If you don’t have a large dog, bring the small one anyway. Chances are when your little pup sees you in trouble, he’ll be more than happy to protest. Predators won’t usually attack a person with a dog, large or small, because dogs usually make such a racket you’re bound to draw attention, which is undesirable for predators. Who knows – your poodle may just surprise your attacker when he grabs you.

8. Fight back!

You must do everything in your power to escape even if it means hurting yourself. Sometimes the rapist will kill his victims to prevent him from being caught or identified. If the rapist comes in your home, throw heavy items through windows and at the rapist. Make as much noise as you can. Do not get in the car with them if you can help it because once you are mobile, this increases the likelihood that you will be taken to a remote location where the rapist can take their time. It is preferable to be injured and escape than to be taken to the middle of nowhere and battered. Do not be passive unless you feel you have to because a weapon is on you. Never give up without fighting a battle.

9. Take a self-defence class and Learn to S-I-N-G.

This means Solar Plexus-Instep-Nose-Groin; the four attack points you should focus on if grabbed from behind. Elbow them in the solar plexus (the guts), stomp on the foot as hard as you can, and when they let go, turn around and jam the palm of your hand into their nose in an upward motion, then finish with a knee to the groin. This may disable your assailant long enough for you to get away. Don’t worry about hurting them, because they intend to do something much worse to you.

10. Be careful around strangers not letting down your guards

Hitching a ride with a total stranger is not safe at all. Being the only female in a group of males in a secluded place should also be avoided to avoid gang rape. Avoid being lured into anywhere away from prying eyes. Teenage girls should particularly avoid this. In a boarding school recently, four boys snatched a girl’s bag after prep and ran towards the boy’s hostel. Instead of the girl to report to the house master or matron, she chased after them and got raped right by the boy’s hostel. Yes, the boys were expelled, but the deed had been done.