Women are warned and urged to take safety precautions to avoid dangerous situations.
Mr Theunis Kotze, the general manager for ADT Inland Region, said the key to safety is always to err on the side of caution.
Mr Kotze provides the following life-saving tips and advice for women:
With regards to emergency numbers, Mr Kotze said you should tell someone where you are going and the time you expect to return.
“Save their number to your mobile phone or memorise the details of the person to be contacted in the event of an emergency,” said Mr Kotze.
Remember to avoid carrying large sums of cash, if possible.
“If you are taking a handbag, carry it close to your body at all times and zip it up. Don’t be tempted to put it into a shopping trolley. Criminals are opportunistic and will take advantage of an easy situation,” he said.
According to Mr Kotze, a former FBI criminal profiler, Ms Candice DeLong, highlighted the importance of not being distracted.
“One of the major issues adding to crimes against women is that women are often distracted while going about their busy day,” said Mr Kotze.
He said that distractions can range from caring for children, carrying shopping, to speaking on a mobile phone.
Ms DeLong said that when you are walking by yourself, do not use your cellular phone. People think that being on the phone is safe because the person on the other line can call for help, but that rarely works out.
Chatting can distract you. It is better to be aware of your surroundings.
Furthermore, Mr Kotze warns that if you are driving, the first thing to do once you are inside your vehicle is to ensure all the doors are locked.
“Never drive with a handbag or any other valuable items on a seat or in the view of anyone looking into your vehicle from the outside. Most importantly, trust your instincts. Women have great intuition and should listen to their instincts. If someone, or something, makes you feel uneasy, avoid the individual and leave the area,” he said.
Ms DeLong also provided some useful hints for when you approach your car. Look underneath your car before approaching it in a parking garage at night. Also, if you return to your car and see that a van is parked right next to the driver’s side, enter through the passenger side.
“Predators often use vans and will disguise it as a family car, even using “Baby on Board” decals,” she said.
Finally if you return to your car and it has a flat tyre, back away, return to wherever you came from and call for help. Once assistance arrives, approach your car.
In addition, Mr Kotze said that women should remain especially vigilant when they are in public places.
“When using an ATM for example, it is important to shield your pin number and be alert for anyone watching you. Place your money in your purse immediately after the transaction and close the bag. If you feel uncomfortable or unsafe at any time while using the ATM, cancel the transaction and leave.” he said.
“If you think someone is following you, immediately go to a safe location where there are people and contact the police. Withdraw only the money needed at the time and rather
seek out ATM’s located inside buildings, supermarkets or other busy locations,” he said.
“I encourage women to not only use these tips but to share them with family and friends; phone apps like ADT’s ‘FindU’ are useful in a situation like this and great for personal safety,” he said.
