Avoiding Crime is No Accident!

Every year, LEAA takes part in honoring National Crime Victim's Rights Week and we invite your participation in spreading awareness of victim's rights issues.

While it is important to focus on legislative reforms to address the needs of those who have survived a violent crime, it is also important to help others avoid a violent criminal attack in the future. LEAA wants you to remember a few tips to help keep you safe.

General Points
Most attacks occur quickly and from a short distance, so it is imperative that you stay aware of your surroundings. Remain alert at all times, keep your head up and scan the area around you for any activity that appears threatening or suspicious.

If you see something that strikes you as odd or suspicious, trust your instincts and take steps to distance yourself from the situation before an attack begins.

Don't worry about what others may think. Your safety is your first and most important concern. For example, don't get on an elevator if you see someone inside who makes you feel apprehensive or uncomfortable. Simply turn away and catch a different elevator.

Effective defense does not come in a box. Taking care of yourself requires thought and planning and a commitment to keeping an eye on your surroundings. There is no single lock, flashlight or defensive tool that will make you magically safe, yet one or more of these elements may factor into a complete defensive plan. Preparation, anticipation and training all contribute to a more effective defensive capability.

Home Safety Tips
Action is quicker than reaction. If you find yourself in trouble, it may be too late to take proactive steps, so before a criminal comes to your home, be sure to:

Install quality dead bolts on all exterior doors... and use them.

Make sure that all outside areas are well lit.

Do not let strangers into your home. Workers are periodically needed to do work in your home. Insist on identification before allowing anybody into your house.

Develop a defensive strategy should you discover a threat in your house. This should include how you would respond to an intruder, to a fire, etc. You should consider routes of evacuation and reliable methods to call for assistance. If you have a family, you should all understand the same plan and know where to meet outside should an emergency arise.

Car Safety
Many violent crimes take place on our roadways. A classic example is the bump-and-rob technique in which a criminal will cause a minor fender-bender to draw you out of your vehicle where you can be assaulted, robbed or both. If you are involved in a minor accident, stay in your car and keep your engine running; if a criminal attack is attempted you will be better positioned to escape. Exchange information from within your car, opening your window only enough to pass information back and forth.

• Find your keys before you get to your car. Having your car key in hand will speed your entry into the vehicle.
   
• As you approach your vehicle, keep an eye out for anyone loitering in the area around or under your car.
   
• Before you enter your vehicle, scan the interior to make sure that nobody is hiding inside.
   
• Always lock your doors, especially when driving.
   
• Keep your windows up to prevent someone from reaching inside.
   
• If attacked en route to your car, drop your valuables and your car keys and consider RUNNING AWAY! Make the attacker choose between you and your valuables.
   
• A cell phone is an excellent tool to call for help. Buy one and carry it.

Resist or Comply?
The decision to run or fight is a difficult and very personal matter. As most assaults occur quickly, the decision to fight or flee should be made in advance when you can think clearly and logically. Regardless of what decision you make, you should think through your ability to succeed at either course of action. Recognize the ugly reality of criminal attack: no matter what course of action you choose, if you are attacked by a violent criminal there is always a chance you may be hurt or killed.

If you choose to run, prepare to be the best runner you can be. Runners place their entire safety on their ability to win a race to safety, so a head start is one of the few advantages you can hope for. The need to be alert and recognize a threat early on is absolutely critical to a successful evasion. You should wear shoes well-suited for running and of course, you should practice running. If you are not physically fit, this option may be severely limited.

If your plan is to call for help in times of trouble, make sure you have a means of being heard. Programming 911 as a speed-dial on your telephone can save precious seconds, and you should keep that phone at hand for immediate use. You will need to plan for what you do while waiting for help to arrive. Unless you are fortunate enough to have a cop within eyesight (typically not where violent crimes take place) you may have from several minutes to an hour or more before help can find you. No matter how hard they try, police must drive on the same traffic-clogged streets as the rest of us and getting to a specific location just takes time. In the meantime, you are likely to be on your own against the violent criminal.

If you choose to fight, react swiftly and aggressively. You must recognize that in any fight you may be injured and commit yourself to surviving. Sudden aggression may surprise or momentarily impact your attacker, potentailly creating a momentary opportunity to escape or gain control of the situation. Research shows that active resistance with a firearm is the most effective way to defend against a violent criminal attack. Some estimates indicate that over two million violent crimes a year are stopped when the law-abiding victim turns out to have a gun.

NEVER allow yourself to be taken by the criminal to a different location. The only reason a criminal has for moving you is to take you to a place that is more secluded, where you will be farther from help, a place that somehow benefits the attacker. Your chances of survival diminish dramatically if you allow a criminal to take you out in the woods, into a back alley, etc. If you are going to resist, do so at the place of initial attack.

LEAA recommends that you receive competent training in the use of firearms, pepper spray and defensive tactics. You should develop your own personal defensive plan that is suitable to your physical abilities, your equipment and your willingness to use them. Play the "What If" game and think about different situations and determine what you would do if... attacked in a parking lot, attacked at your home, and so forth.

It is a sobering statistic, but 3 out of 4 women in America will fall victim to violent crime somewhere in their lifetime. This is not a slim chance or a far-fetched possibility, but sadly a real likelihood. How you survive such an event depends almost entirely on how well you prepare. If you need information on Victim resources, click here.

This information is brought to you as part of the Law Enforcement Alliance of America's ongoing effort to educate the public and legislators on issues of criminal justice reform, self-protection and victim's rights. These efforts are paid for by the generous contributions of our Members and supporters. LEAA is a national coalition of law enforcement professionals, crime victims and citizens, united for justice. We invite you to join LEAA.