Personal Safety Tips

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 safety 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. 

When arriving at a destination, 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 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? Is there somebody currently on the property? Should there be?
7-8 At the doorway/entrance Scan the inside Is anyone or anything out of place? ex. Something is probably off if the door is unlocked but nobody's supposed to be inside
9-10 Entering the venue Final gut check Any noises? Anything out of place? Are there any signs of violence or carelessness?


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 personal alarm with built-in LED light can help you attract witnesses in the dark.