What should you do: If you are being followed in an open area.

Have you ever had that feeling while walking the dog, going for a run or walking to your car that you are being followed?

A human’s sixth sense is more powerful than we know and when it is telling you something, you should really listen to it. We have this amazing intuition, and so seldom do we listen to it. Getting mugged and being attacked are very real things in this world and we never think it will happen to us, until it does.

Here is a list of 7 precautionary measures you can take to ensure your safety in an open area where you might be followed.

1. Be aware of their presence. Your first defense against anyone who might try to attack you is to be aware of their presence. Stay aware of your surroundings by looking around and behind you from time to time just to feel out the situation. As much as I love to listen to music with my headphones, I know not to do this while in open areas. It’s better to be able to hear if there is someone behind you quickening their pace or if there is a strange bustling in the bushes.

2. Determine if you are being followed. You can do this by deliberately crossing the street or speed up your pace and see if the person does the same. If you consider that this person has been following you for several minutes or you feel rather unsafe, then it’s time to act. Never ignore your feelings.

3. Use positive self talk. This is not the time to panic. You need to think clearly so that you can put yourself out of harm’s way. Tell yourself: “Okay, calm down and don’t panic. I can deal with this right now.” This is a simple calming exercise to keep your brain from freezing in stressful situations.

4. Aim for public spaces. Head for the nearest populated area such as a petrol station, restaurant, drive-through and preferably an emergency service provider such as a police station or fire station. Just get somewhere where there are other people. Alternatively, if there is a crowd of people near-by, slide into the crowd, explain to them what is going on and they should be more than happy to help you.

5. Draw attention to yourself. A good way of doing this is yelling, “Fire!”. Scream loud enough and long enough while running ahead and someone will more than likely hear you if you are not in an isolated area. This could cause enough commotion to scare off the person following you. If you are a regular runner or walker, keep a whistle or pocket siren with you plus your cellphone. Sure, there is a possibility your phone can be mugged from you but if someone is wanting to cause you harm you can call the police while quickening your pace and press your Blue Security Panic App button for the nearest Blue Security officer in the area to head to your location.

6. Keys. If you have keys, hold them tightly in the horrific case that you might need them for self-defense. Go for the eyes, throat and neck. If someone is wanting to cause harm to you, it’s OK that you fight back and cause harm to the attacker if need be.

7. Don’t go straight home. If you are being followed and you go straight home that’s just showing them exactly where you live and they can target you another time if not this time. Go to someone’s house you can trust, such as a neighbour, friend near-by or family member.

Quick things to remember that we generally forget in the moment:

• Don’t draw money from the ATM at ridiculous hours of the morning or evening if you are having a fun night out on the town.
• As much as some of us love to walk by ourselves and experience the outdoors alone, it is always safer to walk in a group.
• If you get a bad vibe from someone walking past you in the street, make eye contact with them.  Even if you are scared this will give the impression that you are not.
• If a stranger says he needs a hand but you get a creepy vibe from him, you don’t have to be nice. Simply say, “Sorry, but I really can’t stop to help right now,” and keep moving.