Rape Prevention

USEFUL INFO ... 

FYI - Through a rapist's eyes! 
A group of rapists and date rapists in prison were interviewed on what 
they look for in a potential victim and here are some interesting facts: 

1] The first thing men look for in a potential victim is hairstyle. They 
are most likely to go after a woman w ith a ponytail, bun, braid or other 
hairstyle that can easily be grabbed. They are also likely to go after a 
woman with long hair. Women with short hair are not common targets. 

2] The second thing men look for is clothing. They will look for women 
whose clothing is easy to remove quickly. Many of them carry scissors 
around to cut clothing. 

3] They also look for women on their cell phone, searching through their 
purse or doing other activities while walking because they are off guard 
and can be easily overpowered. 

4] The number one place women are abducted from/attacked at is a grocery 
store parking lot. 

5] Number two are office parking lots/garages. 

6] Number three are public restrooms. 

7] The thing about these men is that they are looking to grab a woman and 
quickly move her to a second location where they don't have to worry about 
getting caught. 

8] If you put up any kind of a fight at all, they get discouraged because 
it only takes a minute or two for them to realize that going after you 
isn't worth it because it will be time-consuming. 

9] These men said they would not pick on women who have umbrellas, or 
other similar objects that can be used from a distance, in their hands. 

10] Keys are not a deterrent because you have to get really close to the 
attacker to use them as a weapon. So, the idea is to convince these guys 
you're not worth it. 


POINTS THAT WE SHOULD REMEMBER: 

1] If someone is following behind you on a street or in a garage or with 
you in an elevator or stairwell, look them in the face and ask them a 
question, like 'what time is it', or make general small talk like 'can't 
believe it is so cold out here, we're in for a bad winter'. Now that 
you've seen their faces and could identify them in a line- up, you lose 
appeal as a target. 

2] If someone is coming toward you, hold out your hands in front of you 
and yell 'Stop!' or 'Stay back!' Most of the rapists this man talked to 
said they'd leave a woman alone if she yelled or showed that she would not 
be afraid to fight back. Again, they are looking for an EASY target. 

3] If you carry pepper spray (this instructor was a huge advocate of it 
and carries it with him wherever he goes,) yelling 'I HAVE PEPPER SPRAY!' 
and holding it out will be a deterrent. 

4] If someone grabs you, you can't beat them with strength but you can do 
it by outsmarting them. If you are grabbed around the waist from behind, 
pinch the attacker either under the arm between the elbow and armpit or in 
the upper inner thigh - HARD. One woman in a class this guy taught told 
him she used the underarm pinch on a guy who was trying to date rape her 
and was so upset she broke through the skin and tore out muscle strands 
the guy needed 
stitches. Try pinching yourself in those places as hard as you can stand 
it; it really hurts. 

5] After the initial hit, always go for the groin. I know from a 
particularly unfortunate experience that if you slap a guy's parts it is 
extremely painful. You might think that you'll anger the guy and make him 
want to hurt you more, but the thing these rapists told our instructor is 
that they want a woman who will not cause him a lot of trouble. Start 
causing trouble, and he's out of there. 

6] When the guy puts his hands up to you, grab his first two fingers and 
bend them back as far as possible with as much pressure pushing down on 
them as possible. The instructor did it to me without using much pressure, 
and I ended up on my knees and both knuckles cracked audibly. 

7] Of course the things we always hear still apply. Always be aware of 
your surroundings, take someone with you if you can and if you see any odd 
behavior, don't dismiss it, go with your instincts. You may feel a little 
silly at the time, but you'd feel much worse if the guy really was 
trouble. 


FINALLY, PLEASE REMEMBER THESE AS WELL ... 

I know you are smart enough to know these pointers but there will be some 
time, when you will go "Hmm... I must remember that." After reading, 
forward it to someone you care about. Never hurts to be careful in this 
crazy world we live in. 

1. Tip from Taekwon Do: The elbow is the strongest point on your body. If 
you are close enough to use it, do it. 

2. Learned this from a tourist guide to New Orleans : If a robber asks for 
your wallet and/or purse, DO NOT HAND IT TO HIM. Toss it away from you... 
chances are that he is more interested in your wallet and/or purse than 
you and he will go for the wallet and/or purse. RUN LIKE MAD IN THE OTHER 
DIRECTION! 

3. If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car: Kick out the back tail 
lights and stick your arm out the hole and start waving like crazy. The 
driver won't see you but everybody else will. This has saved lives. 

4. Women have a tendency to get into their cars after shopping, eating, 
working, etc., and just sit (doing their checkbook, or making a list, 
etc.) 
DON'T DO THIS!The predator will be watching you, and this is the perfect 
opportunity for him to get in on the passenger side, put a gun to your 
head, and tell you where to go. AS SOON AS YOU LOCK YOUR DOORS...LEAVE! 

5. A few notes about getting into your car in a parking lot, or parking 
garage: 
a. Be aware. Look around you. Look into your car, at the passenger side 
floor, and in the back seat. 

b. If you are parked next to a big van, enter your car from the passenger 
door. Most serial killers attack their victims by pulling them into their 
vans while the women are attempting to get into their cars. 

c. Look at the car parked on the driver's side of your vehicle, and the 
passenger side. If a male is sitting alone in the seat nearest your car, 
you may want to walk back into the mall, or work, and get a 
guard/policeman to walk you back out. IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN
SORRY. (And better paranoid than dead.) 

6. ALWAYS take the elevator instead of the stairs. (Stairwells are 
horrible places to be alone and the perfect crime spot). 

7. If the predator has a gun and you are not under his control, ALWAYS 
RUN! The predator will only hit you (a running target) 4 in 100 times. And 
even then, it most likely WILL NOT be a vital organ. RUN! 

8. As women, we are always trying to be sympathetic: STOP IT! It may get 
you raped, or killed. Ted Bundy, the serial killer, was a good-looking, 
well educated man, who ALWAYS played on the sympathies of unsuspecting 
women. He walked with a cane, or a limp, and often asked "for help" into 
his vehicle or with his vehicle, which is when he abducted his next 
victim.