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Date:         Fri, 6 Jul 2001 09:10:27 -0700
Reply-To:     George Wietor <wietorg@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         George Wietor <wietorg@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      Fwd: Safety Tips for Women
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

> Let me try this again. Geo.

> This "Safety For Women" information was forwarded > onto all employees of NA > by a Co-worker! While the message is directed at > women, a number of points > and examples provided apply to men and children as > well as women, in > relation to muggings,etc. I thought I would share > this with you. Regardless > of gender and or age, one must always be aware of > one's surroundings. BE > SAFE. > > SAFETY FOR WOMEN > > I learned from my children's karate classes that the > elbow is the strongest > point on your body. If you are close enough to use > it, do! > > 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. > > Last night I attended a personal safety workshop, > and it jolted me. It was > given by an amazing man, Pat Malone, who has been a > body guard for famous > figures like Farrah Fawcett and Sylvester Stallone. > He works for the FBI, > and teaches police officers and Navy SEALS > hand-to-hand combat. This man > has seen it all, and knows a lot. > > He focused his teachings to us on HOW TO AVOID BEING > THE VICTIM OF A > VIOLENT CRIME. He gave us some statistics about how > much the occurrences of > random violence have escalated over the recent > years, and it is terrible. > > Something like 99% of us will be exposed to, or > become a victim of a > violent crime. Here are some of the most important > points that I got out of > his presentation: > > 1.) The three reasons women are easy targets for > random acts of violence > are: > > a.) Lack of Awareness You MUST know where you are & > what's going on around > you. > b.) Body Language Keep your head up, swing your > arms, stand straight up. > c.) Wrong Place, Wrong Time DON'T walk alone in an > alley, or drive in a bad > neighborhood at night. > > 2.) 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 the passenger side, > put a gun to your head, > and tell you where to go. AS SOON AS YOU GET INTO > YOUR CAR, LOCK THE DOORS > AND LEAVE. > > KEEP MOVING; DON'T GIVE THE PERP A CHANCE TO > FORM OR ACT ON A PLAN > FR > > a.) A few notes about getting into your car in a > parking lot, or parking > garage: 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 drivers 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. (Better > paranoid than dead.) > > ON B & C ABOVE, THIS REALLY IS A COMMON > TECHNIQUE FOR GRABBING > WOMEN. > STAY ALERT, STAY ALIVE. FR > > > 3.) ALWAYS take the elevator instead of the stairs. > (Stairwells are > horrible places to be alone and the perfect crime > spot). > > a.) Do not get on an elevator if there is a weirdo > already on there. (Of > course bad men don't always look bad). > b.) Do not stand back in the corners of the > elevator, be near the front, by > the doors, ready to get off or on. > c.) If you get on the elevator on the 25th floor, > and someone suspicious > gets on the 22nd, get off when he gets on. > > 4) If the predator has a gun and you are not under > his control, ALWAYS RUN! > > > a.) Police only make 4 of 10 shots when they are in > range of 3-9 feet. This > is due to stress. > b.) 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! > > REMEMBER, THE PERP MAY NOT SHOOT IF YOU > ARE IN A PUBLIC AREA... > THEN, AGAIN, HE MIGHT. IF YOU REACT IN > A WAY THAT THE PERP WAS > NOT ANTICIPATING, YOU MAY CATCH HIM OFF > GUARD. FR > > 5.) As women, we are always trying to be > sympathetic: STOP IT! It may get > you raped, or killed. > > a.) 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. > b.) Pat Malone told us the story of his daughter, > who came out of the mall > and was walking to her car when she noticed 2 older > ladies in front of her. > Then she saw a police car come towards her with cops > who said hello. She > also > noticed that all 8 handicap spots in the area were > empty. As she neared her > car she saw a man a few rows over calling to her for > help. He wanted her to > close his passenger side door. He was sitting in the > driver's side, and said > he was handicapped. He continued calling, until she > turned and headed back > to the mall, and then he began cursing at her. In > the meantime, she wondered > why he didn't ask the 2 older ladies, or the > policeman for help, and why he > was not parked in any of the empty handicap spots. > As she got back to the > mall, two male friends of hers were exiting, and as > she told them the story, > and turned to point at the car, the man was getting > out of the back seat > into > the front, and the car sped away. DON'T GET CAUGHT > IN THIS TRAP. > > BEING A LITTLE SUSPICIOUS CAN SAVE YOUR > LIFE. FR > > 6.) Tips to saving your life, if you have gotten > into a violent situation: > > a.) REACT IMMEDIATELY If he abducts you in a parking > lot, and is taking you > to an abandoned area, DON'T LET HIM GET YOU TO THAT > AREA. If you are > driving, react immediately in the situation, and > crash your car while still > going 5 > mph. If he's driving, find the right time, and > stick your fingers in his > eyes. He must watch the road, so choose an > unsuspecting time, and gouge > him. It is your ONLY defense. While he is in shock, > GET OUT. (This sounds > gross, but the alternative is your fault if you do > not act.) > b.) RESIST Don't go along with him: run, if you are > able: DON'T EVER GIVE > UP! You DO NOT want to get to a crime scene. > > IF SOMEONE IS TRYING TO TAKE YOU TO ANOTHER > PLACE, IT IS USUALLY TO > GET YOU TO A SECLUDED LOCATION WHERE THEY > WON'T BE CAUGHT AS THEY > HARM YOU FURTHER (WORSE). IT IS HIGHLY > DANGEROUS TO BE TAKEN OFF > LIKE THIS, FREQUENTLY RESULTS IN DEATH. FR > > 7.) Always keep your distance when walking past > strangers on the street or > in dark areas. > > 8.) GET A CELL PHONE. > > a.) There are packages for $19.95 a month that > allow you to program only > 911 into the dialing out program. (This is an > alternative for parents who > say it is too expensive for their kids to have a > cell phone.) > > 9.) BREAK DOWNS: Make every effort to avoid this by > ALWAYS keeping your > car in good working order. > > a.) If your car breaks down: LOCK YOUR DOORS. You > better have a cell phone > to call for help. > > ALTHOUGH THIS IS GOOD ADVICE, REMEMBER THAT > AUTO GLASS IS NOT MUCH > PROTECTION FROM A PERSON SERIOUSLY INTENDING > ON ENTERING YOUR > VEHICLE. BE READY TO CRAWL OUT THE OTHER > SIDE IF SOMEONE IS TRYING > TO BREAK INTO YOUR VEHICLE. FR > > b). If you don't have a cell phone: (shame on you) > keep a blanket, warm > clothes, a pair of boots, and a flashlight in your > car always, for > emergencies. > c.) If it's noon on a business day, you may want to > put your hazards on > and walk to safety. > d.) If it's 2 a.m, put on your warm clothes, and > walk to a lighted area. > You are a perfect target if you are sitting in your > car broken down. > Predators search the highways for easy targets like > you. > e.) If you're on a desolate road: walk away from > the car (in your warm > clothes) and go to some bushes, or some area AWAY > from your vehicles. It > will be cold, and uncomfortable, but you DO NOT > want to stay in your car, > and there are no psycho bogeyman waiting in the > bushes who knew you were > going to break down there and then. > > 10.) Physical defenses that we can use against the > violent predator: > > a.) The EYES are the most vulnerable part of the > body. Poke him there. > HARD. It may be your, only window of opportunity. > b.) The neck is also a vulnerable spot, but you > MUST know where to grip, > AND HAVE THE STRENGTH to cut off his breath. > c.) The last place is the KNEES. Everyone's knees > are very vulnerable, and > a swift kick here will take anyone down. *A > cautionary note about these > things. If you do not do these things right the > first time, you are in > trouble, because it will only anger the individual, > and that anger will be > TAKEN OUT ON YOU. I'm not saying don't attempt them > (it may be your only > hope), but be forceful when you do. > > ACTUALLY, A BLOW TO THE KNEES IS MOST > EFFECTIVE FROM THE SIDE. A > KICK TO THE FRONT OF THE KNEE IS LESS LIKELY > TO DISABLE AN ATTACKER. > > SOME WOMEN HAVE AVOIDED FROM RAPE BY > VOMITING. FR > > 11.) If you are walking alone in the dark (which > you shouldn't be) and you > find him following/chasing you: > > a.) Scream "FIRE!", and not "help." People don't > want to get involved when > people yell "help," but "fire" draws attention > because people are nosy. > > I'VE READ THIS ADVICE IN NUMEROUS PLACES > OVER THE YEARS. FR > > b.) RUN! > c.) Find an obstacle, such as a parked car, and run > around it, like Ring > Around the Rosie. This may sound silly, but over > the years, 5 women have > told Pat Malone that this SAVED THEIR LIVES. > d.) Your last hope is getting under the car. Once > you are under there, > there are tons of things to hold on to, and he will > not be able to get you > out and will not come under for you (most likely). > Usually they give up by > this point. The catch here is that YOU MUST > PRACTICE GETTING UNDER THE > CAR. You must have a plan (he will have one); know > if you will be going on > your back, front, from the side or back of the car. > It must be practiced. > > 12.) Never let yourself or anyone that you know be > a "closer" in any type > of business (bar, store, restaurant, gas station). > If you know someone > that has to close a store alone, be there with them > or have a mutual > friend be there. Pat knew Danielle, who was a girl > that just died from > being shot pointblank by some kids while she was > closing at the local gas > station. He talked with her the night before she > died, and asked whether > it ever scared her to close alone. She said yes, > but said "I'll be all > right, Pat." "I'll be all right." She wasn't. Our > world is not as safe as > we pretend that it is, and living in our fantasy > worlds WILL get us in > trouble, sooner or later. Pat Malone said again and > again that the women > who die EVERY MINUTE from violent crimes expected > to go to bed tonight, > and get up tomorrow. > > No one expects it, but we must be prepared and > aware so that we HAVE A > PLAN. BE PREPARED TO ACT! AND ACT HARD! HAVE A > PLAN! > > This makes the 3rd time I have gotten this, I have > a few things I would > add to this lesson though. > > 1.) If you are ever grabbed from behind by an > assailant with their arms > wrapped over your arms, the best way to get away > will be the toe stomp or > foot stomp and elbow combo. Stomping the toes will > get the persons arms > loosened, and the elbow in the ribs will knock the > breathe out of them. If > you always wear hard soled shoes when you go out, > try aiming for > the top of the foot instead of the toes, (the > metatarsil bones in the top > of the foot are easily broken with the right stomp) > > 2.) It is a little known fact that womens shoulders > are rounded to a point > that a man can't hold them if they are struggling > to get away. If someone > starts to grab you from behind and you can't get a > good shot at his foot. > Slide down (like you are fainting) a mans wide > shoulders won't allow his > arms to close tight enough to keep you from > slipping away. > > ACTUALLY, THIS WORKS FOR GUYS AS WELL AS > WOMEN, AND IS TAUGHT IN > SELF-DEFENSE CLASSES FOR BOTH MEN AND WOMEN. > IT'S DIFFICULT TO HOLD > ON TO ANYBODY LIKE THIS. AS YOU SLIDE DOWN > THROUGH THE PERP'S ARMS, > CONSIDER TURNING AND GIVING HIM A SHOT TO > THE CROTCH. FR > > 3.) If you do these things, when you get away, RUN > but not for the nearest > stranger (he may have an accomplice)(and don't > always trust other women > either, some are just as twisted as men), RUN for > the nearest CROWDED area > you can find. > > Alan > > > ************************************************************ > Alan Zentz > Staff Specialist: WUI & Rx Fire > USDA Forest Service, Northeastern Area S&PF > Fire and Aviation Management > 11 Campus Blvd., Suite 200 > Newtown Square, PA 19073 > Tel: (610) 557-4108 > Fax: (610) 557-4154 > Cell: (484) 431-7209 > E-Mail: azentz@fs.fed.us > > ************************************************************* > > >

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