Personal Safety

The fear of crime is unfortunately a term that many of us live with in our daily lives. But for a crime to occur there must be three ingredients present: - Victim    Opportunity   Criminal
Remove one of these elements and you remove the potential for crime as well. By taking a few simple precautions, and integrating them into your daily life so that theybecome second nature, you will help to ensure that you, your family and your friends, are less likely to become a victim of crime. The following is designed to help you to become more aware of your surroundings andyour personal safety and sensible planning will reduce the opportunity for the criminal toturn you into a victim of crime:-


Your Rights

The right not to be hit.
The right not to be hurt
The right not to be threatened
The right to be treated decently and not to be molested
The right to physically defend yourself  

Always be aware of your surroundings. 

·         Confidence comes from feeling in control of the situation
·         Being prepared and understanding how your body reacts to stress. 

Walking Safely
 
We should all feel free to walk where and when we choose.

Be alert and aware of your surroundings
Avoid taking short cuts even if you are late.
Only use well-lit, busy roads.

·         If the road is quiet keep to the middle of pavements.
·         Be aware of danger spots and keep away from doorways and hedges.
·         Walk towards oncoming traffic to prevent kerb-crawlers.
·         Consider crossing roads with care as an alternative to using subways.
·         If you think you are being followed, cross the road and keep walking. Or alter your route. (If you are still being followed go to a well-lit house or busy area and ask for help.)
·         Keep your distance from strangers (12 feet)
·         Look positive and confident. Don’t wait around longer than you have to.
·         Keep at least one hand free.
·         Consider carrying a personal alarm and a mobile phone and have them ready to use.
·         Keep valuables to a minimum and don’t carry everything in the handbag.
·         Carry keys on your person and ready to hand. Keep them separate from any identity details.
·         If possible walk with someone you trust.
·         Tell someone where you are going and what time you expect to arrive. Tell them when you have reached your destination.   



Travelling by Car

• Check all water, oil and fuel levels to avoid needing to stop on the journey.
• Plan your route in advance
• Tell someone of your intended route and estimated time of arrival
• Have a map or route card with you to avoid needing to ask directions
• Have a torch with you
• Always lock your doors when entering and leaving
• Look inside before entering your car to check for intruders
• Have your car keys in your hand so that you can get straight into your vehicle
• Park where you feel it will be safe for you to return later
• Travel on busy roads
• Have a mobile phone with you
• Carry a personal alarm with you
• Put bags and valuables in the boot or out of sight
• When re-fuelling, lock your car before going to pay
•  

If you feel threatened whilst in your car  

If you think you are being followed, drive on until you come
 
·         to a busy, well lit place.
·         to a police, fire or ambulance station or garage forecourt 

Pull over and make to go for assistance. If a vehicle starts flashing lights or indicates for you to pull over unless it is obvious to you that there is something wrong with your vehicle:
Stay Calm continue driving steadily to a busy place before stopping. 

Public Transport 

• Avoid isolated bus stops and rail stations. Especially at night.
• Check timetables beforehand to avoid a long wait.
• Have your fare ready.
• Sit near to the driver on buses.
• If you are a female, sit near other women.
• Sit near to the emergency cord on the train.
• Don’t be afraid to pull the emergency cord if you are in danger.
• Never sit in an empty compartment on the train and be prepared to move to be with a number of other people.
• Avoid sitting in compartments that have no access to other parts of the train.
• Keep personal belongings close.
  

 Travelling by Taxi or Private hire vehicles 

• Try and use a recommended cab company

• When booking, ask for the drivers name, call sign and type of car he/she will be driving
• When your cab arrives check the drivers name etc before getting in
• If you can, share a cab with a friend
• Always sit in the back
• If you chat with the driver don’t reveal any personal details
• Have your cash ready before you reach your destination
• Have your keys ready and enter your home quickly

·         If you feel at all uneasy with the driver, ask to stop in a busy place and get out. 

The Social Scene 

·         Alcohol affects your judgement of people and situations. Be sensible.
·         Never leave your drink where it could be “spiked”.
·         Drugs can cause people to behave unpredictably.
·         In clubs and pubs in particular be watchful of “trouble brewing” and get out before it starts.
·         Be careful when giving out your phone number or address.
·         If you are going to be out late, plan how you are getting home too.
·         If you invite someone back for a “cup of coffee”, be sure that their expectations are the same as yours. 


Unwanted Phone Calls 

People who make indecent, annoying or threatening phone calls do it to generate an emotional response. Keep calm and don’t betray any emotion.  Hang up immediately.
·         Only say Hello when you pick up the phone rather that giving your name or number.
·         Get the caller to identify him/herself before being drawn into conversation.
·         Do not reveal personal information until you know the caller.
·         Don’t reveal your number if asked. Instead ask the caller what number he/she wants.
·         Only use initials in telephone directories. 

Answer phones 

Don’t include your name or number in the outgoing message. “I’m sorry no one can take your call at the moment” is a safer message than saying you are out or away. 


 The Law 

• The law relating to self-defence is contained in the Criminal Law Act 1967.

The general thread that runs throughout the whole of the legal aspect of what you do is reasonableness.

• A person may use such force as is reasonable in the circumstances in the prevention of crime or in effecting or assisting the lawful arrest of offenders or suspected offenders or of persons unlawfully at large.
• The criteria for use of force is once again reasonableness – that is a person may use such force as is reasonable in the circumstances as he honestly believes to be necessary to defend himself or another.
• Force may be used for –

           

• Self defence
• Defence of another
• Defence of property
• Prevention of crime
• Lawful arrest
•  

• It should be remembered that if force is clearly unnecessary, it could never be reasonable in the circumstances.
• A person can use force to ward off an anticipated attack provided that it is anticipated as imminent. But if a threat of force could be expected to be sufficient to deter an attacker then it may be considered unreasonable to use actual force.
• It is an offence to carry anything in any public place that you intended to use as a weapon.
• It is an offence to carry anything in any public place that is designed or adapted as a weapon (e.g. knuckle duster, cosh, sharpened comb etc.)

An example: If a woman is placed in a life threatening situation she may well be able to claim that she was acting reasonably in using, for example, an aerosol hairspray or bunch of car keys defending herself by using such articles against the eyes of her attacker. But it would not be acceptable for the same individual to carry with her a tin of pepper solely to use as a weapon in the event of an attack.  Ultimately the test for all these points is subjective. That is; in the cold light of day, although an action may be thought of as unreasonable, the correct approach is to examine what the person attacked actually thought and felt in the heat of the moment of the attack. Return to top