What can a woman do to reduce her risk of sexual assault? There are a number of things that a woman can do in order to reduce her risk. I searched the web for different sites that had great tips for women that could one day potentially save their lives when something like a sexual assault might happen. According to the article, http://www.womenshealth.gov/publications/our-publications/fact-sheet/sexual-assault.cfm#d, to reduce the risk of sexual assault, a woman should always be aware of her surroundings as well as taking the precautions of locking doors and driving or running in well traveled areas. The web article also stated that a woman should trust her instincts. In other words, if you have a bad feeling about the surroundings you are in then you should go ahead and leave. Another thing a woman can do is "walk with confidence" (Lukima, 2009). If a woman is walking with confidence then the assailant is less likely to go for her because she is showing that she has potential strength and her willingness to fight back to protect herself against the attacker. Another website, www.ripleycounty.com/sheriff/rape.htm, has an article called "Through the Rapist's Eyes" and it talks about what men who are currently in jail looking for in sexual assault victims. "The first thing men look for ... is hairstyle" (www.ripleycounty.com). This means that sexual assailants look for women with ponytails, buns or long hair that can be easily grabbed and pulled to allow them control. The website also says that sexual assailants will look for the fitting of the clothing on potential victims. If the woman is wearing loose clothing, it is easier for the assailant to take the clothes off. "Men are most likely to attack & rape in the early morning, between 5:00a.m. and 8:30a.m." meaning that women who are on their way to work via public transportation should be especially aware of their surroundings because they could be at the highest risk of sexual assault (www.ripleycounty.com). Hopefully women will take precautions, such as defense classes, carry pepper spray or carry stun guns, to protect themselves from sexual assailants out in the world.
References
Lukima, J. (2009, July 16). Sexual assault fact sheet. Retrieved from http://www.womenshealth.gov/publications/our-publications/fact-sheet/sexual-assault.cfm
Through a Rapist's Eyes. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.ripleycounty.com/sheriff/rape.htm
I have also read the article "Through the Rapist's Eyes" before and admit it made me think twice. Especially because I almost always have my hair in a ponytail and wear exercise type clothing that is elastic. Luckily, I do not have to ride public transportation and live on land with a locked gate, but there can be dangerous people anywhere. For years I have wanted to take a self-defense class and now that my daughter is 16 and will be getting in situations where she is alone, I think it is time we go.
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