Safety when out and about, especially at night.
Don’t go off on your own – stay with your friends.
Be alert and aware of everything that is going on around you and try and look confident. Research has shown that sexual offenders are less likely to attack someone who looks confident.
Trust your instincts if you feel in any danger, and act to make yourself safe.
Use routes that you know, and avoid ill-lit paths and streets.
Always let your parent/carer know where you are going, and what time you will be home. If your plans change, let them know by telephoning or texting them.
Make arrangements for getting home late at night way in advance, e.g. before you go out for the evening, book a taxi to pick you up or arrange for a parent/carer to collect you. This will ensure you won’t be hanging around in the street late at night waiting to get home, or end up walking home.
Make sure you have enough money to get a taxi/minicab home and keep a telephone number of a registered taxi/minicab company in your mobile phone.
If you are taking a taxi or minicab, ensure that it is registered as such. You can check this by looking for a plate that registered taxi’s have on the boot or bumper of their car. Some sexual offenders wait around for people who can’t get home, pretending to be a taxi or a minicab.
Carry a rape or personal alarm. You can buy these at local hardware stores.
Never walk home alone or accept a lift from someone you don’t know well. Never hitchhike.
If you have a mobile phone, keep it with you at all times ensuring that it is charged and has credit (however, don’t flash it around). Teach your parents/carers how to send and receive text messages.
If you feel you are being followed, cross the road and look to see who is behind you. If you still feel you are being followed, cross the road again, keep moving to a busy area, a shop or a garage, all the time looking for someone who can help you.
Wearing headphones whilst out walking means you will be less aware of any danger.
Don’t talk to anyone you don’t know when you are out on your own. You don’t need to be rude if someone speaks to you or asks you for directions, you could just pretend that you didn’t hear them.
You have the right to wear whatever clothes you like, but you also need to be aware of the affect they may have on others.
If the worst should happen and someone tries to attack you, use your rape/personal alarm or scream and shout as loud as possible and run away if you can. You have a right to defend yourself with items you may be carrying with you, such as keys, an umbrella, brush etc. but it is against the law to carry anything that may be described as an offensive weapon.
Safety from Date Rape Drugs
Keep your drink with you at all times. This applies to soft drinks, tea and coffee, as well as alcoholic drinks.
Try and buy drinks in a bottle, and keep your finger over the top.
Don’t accept drinks from people you don’t know.