Staying safe on the street is critical for everyone, which is why having good information is important. Most people are completely unaware of their surroundings, have a high level of complacency (thinking that nothing could happen to them) and are overall unprepared for the dangers that are present in our world. For that very reason I decided to write a book to promote personal safety awareness and keep people protected.

Avoid, Prepare, Defend: 25 Essential Tips on How to Stay Safe from Crime  is a self-defense guide on how to avoid, prepare for and defend against external threats. These personal safety tips revolve around four main concepts:

• Avoiding the Crime
• Preventing the Crime
• Preparing for the Crime
• Addressing the Crime

Avoiding the crime is the first step, which includes placing limitations on certain behaviors (e.g. clothing and alcohol intake) as well as being aware of geography (areas with unsavory characters or high levels of crime). Preventing the crime is the primary and most realistic objective, such as changing your everyday routine or making an effort to eliminate complacency from your life. Preparing for the crime is necessary, because there will come a time when you will have to face a threat. Having an exit plan ready is critical for this. Addressing the crime comes when you have to finally engage a threat or take action in the conclusion of the crime being committed or thwarted.

Let’s go over one tip from each area.

Avoiding the Crime – Safety Tip #6, Watch the Alcohol

Alcohol is one of the greatest threats to one’s personal safety, especially for young women in college. They tend to be the most vulnerable due to the college party environment and a tendency to have a relatively carefree lifestyle. Being inebriated inhibits judgment and the ability to see warning signs. It also significantly limits your ability to fight back.

Watch the alcohol; don’t drink more than what you can handle, regardless of the social scene you’re in. Limit yourself to no more than what will allow you to properly coordinate, balance and react to threats. ALWAYS watch your drinks and never let anyone make one for you, save for a bartender. Always have a very close friend that can keep an eye on you and have the tools and knowledge so as to be prepared for any subsequent threats after the bar scene is over.

Preventing the Crime – Safety Tip #8, Don’t Make Yourself a Target

Remember that most criminal acts are crimes of opportunity. For a criminal that means having the opportunity to exploit any vulnerability at a given time, whether that means robbing someone who has their face buried in their phone and headphones in their ears or taking advantage of an unlocked car or home with an open window. Simply put, these types of situations make you an easy target. And criminals ALWAYS look for the most vulnerable targets.

Common sense goes a LONG way in preventing crime. If everyone did what they were supposed to, most street crime would drop. But the problem is that most of us get complacent. Being aware of your surroundings and keeping your property secure are all examples of good crime prevention.

Preparing for the Crime – Safety Tip #15, ALWAYS Trust Your Gut Feeling

If something doesn’t feel right, it usually isn’t. Our bodies have a natural way of telling us when a situation just isn’t good. Your instincts are a far better judge of character than what your mind or logic can provide in regards to a stranger.

Point is, ALWAYS trust your instincts or your gut feeling because it is far better to be safe than sorry. It is better to overreact and spray a suspected criminal with pepper spray and apologize later than hesitate and possibly lose your dignity or your life. Remember, “Better to be judged by 12 than carried by 6.” A dead person cannot feel regret.

Addressing the Crime – Safety Tip #20, Report the Crime!

Did you know that most sexual assaults go unreported? That’s about 66% or 2 out of 3 according to RAINN. Most people do not want to report a violent crime due to fear, shame or trauma. Much of it also comes down to lack of details on the assailant. Reporting a crime IMMEDIATELY after the attack has occurred and with as much detail is the best course of action.

A criminal act, whether someone did a hit & run with their vehicle or if you were robbed, tends to happen so fast that we tend to forgo the details of the situation. We are more concerned with the present circumstances rather than what should be done in the aftermath.

After a crime has occurred, contact the police IMMEDIATELY. Be prepared to give as many details as possible: time & location of the incident, physical description of the assailant, an explanation of what happened, eye witness testimony (if applicable), etc. Never wait to file a report, as information is fresher on the mind right after the event.

These are just a few of the personal safety tips that you can expect to see from Avoid, Prepare, Defend: 25 Essential Tips on Staying Safe from Crime . This book is a valuable resource for:

• College students.
• Women between the ages of 18-35.
• People who live or work in high-crime areas.
• Anyone who is complacent.

Or anyone who finds real value in crime prevention. 

To get your paperback or ebook copy, head over to Amazon.com