Health & Fitness
A Lesson In Safety For The Women of Cartersville
After I was assaulted earlier this year, I've made situational awareness my number one priority and you should, too.
On March 23, 2011, I became a statistic. I was assaulted in my own home after a young man knocked on my door and said he had run out of gas. I would not let him in. I told him I would get my cell phone and call someone to help him out. I thought my storm door was locked. I turned to retrieve the phone and he was on me before I could even register hearing the door squeak open. I was savagely beaten, degraded, and now suffer with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
After my attack, I began to voraciously read up on the topic of crimes against women and how to avoid situations like the one I found myself in. Did you know that one out of every six women in the United States has been the victim of assault, attempted rape, or rape? Those numbers are very sobering and that is why I want to share a few tips that I learned through my research.
1) Your Car Keys Are A Great Weapon
I recently sat in the parking lot of a busy supermarket to eat dinner. It was dusk out and I started to notice a pattern with a majority of the female shoppers. As they pushed their groceries to their car, they had their heads down and were digging through their purse for car keys. This is problematic for many reasons not the least of which is that you *look* defenseless and distracted.
I locate my keys before I leave from *anywhere.* I don't just carry them, I stick a few between my fingers so that if I have to defend myself they can work like brass knuckles. They also add weight to my hand so my hit will feel harder. Use what you have to defend yourself, even if it's not really a weapon.
2) Garage Doors Are A Blessing And A Curse
To test a theory, I waited outside for my husband to return home from work. He did not see me. As he pulled the car into the garage, I slipped in right behind him and crouched on the passenger side of the vehicle. I was able to effectively hide and then follow him into the house. I have now taken to backing my car into the garage so that I can use my mirrors to see. I shut the door immediately behind me as well.
3) Concealed Carry Isn't Just For Detectives
It is legal in the state of Georgia to be able to obtain a concealed carry gun permit. If you are comfortable with firearms and can pass the background check (no felonies, no stays in mental hospitals, etc...) then you can legally keep the gun of your choice on your person. Even if you ARE comfortable with firearms, I still suggest that you clock some range time and really get a feel for your weapon. A gun is a tool and just like any tool you need to make sure you operate it safely. However, even if you have an Uzi strapped to your back, don't become complacent. The gun can't protect you. YOU can protect yourself with the gun and in order to do that . . . you need to trust your abilities. Practice.
4) Make Eye Contact
You become more vulnerable when you don't make eye contact with the people around you. Since my attack, I've made it a point to meet the eyes of anyone near me. It conveys a message: I see you, I know what you look like, and I can give the police a perfect description of you. It allows you to have the upper hand and illustrates to would be attackers that you are situationally aware and you know they are there. You just took the power out of their hands by removing the element of surprise.
5) Pepper Spray
If you aren't comfortable with a firearm you have the option of Pepper Spray. You must understand that you have to get fairly close to your attacker in order to give him/her a direct hit. And trust me, it's easy to get yourself in the face with it if you are trying to spray it over your shoulder (while you are being held against your will). You need to practice with it and get a feel for it, the same way you would with a firearm. Know instinctively how to operate the Spray so that you don't make any mistakes. Mere seconds count when you are being attacked.
I highly recommend the following sites to help you further understand how best to maintain your safety:
I don't know if I will ever get over what happened to me. My attacker is still at large. I tend to shake all over when someone knocks on my door so I don't bother answering unless I expected them or know who they are. I can't be alone whether it's at home, at a supermarket, or in a car. I panic if someone walks briskly towards me. My nightmares are never ending and I usually wake up sweating and having chills. I cry at the drop of a hat. Movies that never bothered me before are impossible for me to watch now.
I feel like a stranger in my own skin sometimes.
I may never get to be the person I was before I was attacked, but if I can help just one person prevent the same thing from happening to them or a loved one . . . I guess I can live with this new life.
