The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Bryant chapter.
It is so important that women recognize that they might need to take extra safety measures when going out, or even in their everyday life. Here are 6 tips that your friends and you can follow to help stay safe in situations.
- Sharing your location with your friends
- One amazing thing to do when going out at night or even during the day is sharing your location with trusted friends and family. This way you can ensure people have the ability to check where you are at all times and you have an extra set of eyes watching for your safety. If you are meeting someone new, or going somewhere alone you can make sure your friends or family constantly check your location to make sure everything is on track with your plans for the night.
- Traveling with friends at night or when going out
- When going out it is important to stay with friends or family, especially in big group settings. Having one buddy that will stay with you the entire night is a great way to stay safe for both people. When going out it is best to pick a buddy for the night and stay together the entire time, and at the end of the night you can make sure each other got home safe. If you are out at night and see a girl walking alone, invite her to go with your friends and you just to be safe!
- Carry tools for self defense
- Some things you can do to protect yourself are carry pepper spray, a loud whistle, or a mini flashlight. Many of these small self defense tools can be found on a mini key chain that can connect to your purse or car keys. These are small protective measures to ensure your safety for unexpected encounters and can make you feel safer in any situation.
- Power up and try a self defense class
- Trying a self defense class can give you the confidence and mindset that you would be able to defend yourself in any situation. This is a super fun activity to do with your friends, and you can all learn new skills. Just learning a few self defense skills can make a huge difference.
- Have a plan while going out
- Before going out it is a great idea to make a plan with your friends as to what you will be doing and where you will be going. Knowing your surroundings and who is in the immediate area beforehand makes it easier to get help if you’re ever in a crisis. Make a habit of checking your surroundings when walking alone. As an extra layer of precaution let someone who is outside of your group know where you are and where you are going.
- Staying alert at all times
- It is so important to stay alert and know your environment at all times. Especially when walking at night alone, or to your car you should always stay alert and be aware of your surroundings. A good tip is to have someone “walk you home” on the phone if you’re ever walking somewhere alone at night. This is done by calling a family member or friend and staying on the phone with them as you walk home, as an extra level of safety if something were to happen.