Personal Safety Tips

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Personal safety is personal, and it means something a little different to everyone. And while no personal safety plan or device can guarantee your safety, being prepared is your best defense. SABRE is dedicated to helping you make it safe - no matter your lifestyle - all so you can live life with confidence.

SABRE offers our top 5 tips to make yourself a hard target, education on reacting to potential threats, and tools for selecting the personal safety product that best fits your lifestyle to help you make the best safety plan for you.

Try not to be a 'soft' target.

Criminals often look for ‘soft targets,’ or people that may be doing any of the following behaviors:

Walking with your head down
Being completely absorbed in your cell phone
Looking lost or distracted from your surroundings
Walking, jogging or running with headphones in both ears
Carrying valuables in plain sight
Carrying too many things, preventing you from having one hand free at all times

Become a hard target.

1. Keep your distance.

Your assailant has the advantage: They know the attack is coming, and you don’t. However, if you stay 12’ (4M) away from strangers whenever possible, they have to take three steps to reach you. By taking strides towards you, they’ll raise your suspicions and give you a chance to react, whether that’s using verbal commands or using pepper spray.

2. Walk with confidence.

When you portray strength and self-confidence, you can make an attacker believe you would be more likely to fight back (which makes you a 'harder' target).

3. Follow the light.

Staying in well-lit areas is crucial, because light acts as a crime deterrent. In fact, Stanford University recently found that sexual assault and violent crimes decreased by up to 56% in the extra hour of sun you get each night during Daylight Savings Time.

“...better lighting increases the likelihood of being seen by witnesses or police, which in turn discourages criminal activity,” explains Katie Welter of the University of Virginia.

A p ersonal alarm with built-in LED light can help you attract witnesses in the dark.

4. Hide your valuables.

If a criminal scouting the area knows for sure you have the latest iPhone or a laptop in your handbag, they’re more likely to go after you. On the other hand, being discreet about your possessions can keep potential attackers in the dark about what you have on you.

5. Use the buddy system.

A companion is a built-in witness and reduces the odds a predator will see you as a vulnerable target. “The person at greatest risk to become a victim is someone who is alone late at night and also under the influence of drugs or alcohol,” explains Karen J. Terry, PhD and criminal justice professor.

Pro tip: The buddy system advice even expands beyond human relationships. For instance, are you just going out to grab the mail? Bring your dog or a personal safety tool (such as pepper spray or personal alarm) along.

Reacting to threats.

Verbal commands.

If someone is verbally harassing you or making you feel uncomfortable, do not be afraid to express this out loud. Here are a few examples:

Please stop, you're making me uncomfortable.
Stop!
Leave me alone!
[to witnesses] I don't know this person!
[to witnesses] DIAL 911!

10 Seconds to Safety

When arriving someplace, remember 10 seconds to safety.

SECONDS	CONDITION	WHAT TO DO	ASK YOURSELF
1-2	Destination is in eyesight	Scan the area	Is everything as expected?
3-4	Exiting car, bus, etc. with elevated eye level	Notice surroundings	Are people around? How are they acting?
5-6	Approach destination	Gut check (always trust your instincts!)	Am I uneasy? Does activity seem normal?
7-8	At the doorway/entrance	Scan the inside	Is anyone or anything out of place? Is the door locked? Should it be? (ex. something might be off if a convenience store door is locked during business hours)
9-10	Entering the venue	Final gut check	Too few people? Too many? Is the noise level appropriate for this time of day? (ex. something might be off if it's unusually quiet at a bakery at 9AM)

Why verbal commands

Why verbal commands?

Well, not only do verbal commands clearly tell the person what to do, but they might also startle your attacker into thinking twice. Many times, simply yelling can deter an attacker—especially if they tell you not to scream. They're looking for the path of least resistance. Verbal commands also help regulate breathing.

Choosing personal safety tools: Which of the following sounds like you?

I'd like on-the-go protection for my daily life.

Shop Various Keychain, Clip, Auto Safety And Lipstick Models

I'm an athlete that likes to exercise outdoors.

Shop Pepper Sprays for running, jogging, walking and cycling

I want a larger pepper spray model for home defense.

Shop home models with wall mount options

I'm personally in college, or would like to protect a student I care about.

Shop dorm/apartment security and pepper sprays specifically tailored to campus life

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Personal Safety Tips