Safety tips to help prevent sexual assault
Published:Saturday | June 4, 2011 | 12:00 AM
- Use only taxis that are properly licensed and registered. Ask the driver for his name. Ask to see his identification. Before you enter the vehicle, record and text the plate number to a parent, guardian, or trusted friend.
- Always keep some credit on your phone. If you are in a vehicle and you think something is going wrong, send a text.
- Look out for strangers trailing you and head towards lit areas or crowds.
Never assume that it cannot happen to you. Be alert and encourage alertness. - Young females should try to travel in groups and in well-lit public areas.
Never accept free rides from strangers and even those known to you if you do not trust them. - You can fight a potential rapist. Poke or scratch his eyes and face while screaming. This will impair his vision and leave marks for an identification parade. If you scratch him, do not wash your hands before going to the police.
- Do not be pressured to smoke, snort, or drink with friends. Listen to the conversations or stories of persons around you. People who boast about abusing others are potentially dangerous.