In
your home: Doors should be kept locked even during the day. In his
book Strong on Defense, retired police officer Sanford Strong says that
more burglaries occur in the daytime than at night. Some escalate to rape.
A dog is the most effective alarm you can have.
Protect
Yourself
in
Dangerous Places
When
we think of a dangerous place, a dark alley or strange dark streets come
to mind. These are dangerous, but places where we spend much of our time
can be dangerous as well. We may presume that we are safe in homes, at
work, and in our own cars, but this is not always true.
At your job: If you are working after others leave the building, be sure the door is locked. Check with security to be assured that strangers can’t enter the building. When you work in a room without a telephone, like a classroom or storeroom, have a cell phone with you.
Parking lots and garages:
Park as close to the entrance as possible. Women could keep "male props" in the car, says Strong, like a baseball cap or men’s t
ennis shoes. The props discourage attackers who are
looking for a lone woman.
If you have a bad feeling
about people standing near your car, ask a security guard or a fellow
employee to walk to the car with you. When returning to your 
car,
have your keys ready so you can enter immediately, then lock the doors.
On walking and bike trails:
They are usually quiet and beautiful, but it’s still safer to go in pairs. Wearing headphones keeps you from hearing sounds which may be essential to your safety.
You may think you can quickly pedal away from an undesirable encounter with a stranger, but bikes are easily knocked down. Ride with a friend, and don’t wear stereo headphones.
In your car:
Strong believes the number one security priority in your car is a cellular phone. If you have car trouble, lock the doors and call for help. If you are bumped by another car, don’t stop. Go to a police station, a staffed tollbooth or an open business.