A 2024 survey by the Worldwide Independent Network of Market Research revealed that violence against women jumped by 4% since 2019. These alarming numbers led to 46% of females worldwide feeling unsafe walking in their own neighborhoods at night.
As a result, women on social media have banded together to share survival hacks to deal with potential danger. These go beyond the basics, from wearing bright colors and acting “weird” to actually engaging with strange men who come up to you.
Many of these may seem out of the ordinary, but they will make sense once you read through them. Ladies, if you have tips of your own, feel free to share them in the comments!
Image credits: _naturella1
#1
Disagree with men as often as possible. If a man touches you at a bar and you didn’t invite it, step back and loudly say “don’t touch me.” Be a problem. Always be a problem.
The attack starts as a conversation. Pull it out at the roots.
The attack starts as a conversation. Pull it out at the roots.
76points
#2
I always always always walk fast and look pissed off.
No one asks me for sh*t because I always look like I am about to chew out anyone who breathes near me.
No one asks me for sh*t because I always look like I am about to chew out anyone who breathes near me.
72points
#3
It’s better to be seen as a b*tch than to experience harassment or violence.
68points
#4
I saw a thread like this on TikTok. The best thing I learned is if you need to gain attention to avoid a kidnapping or attack, scream out MOM instead of HELP. She said when she did that every woman in the vicinity looked to help her. It activates our maternal instinct whether it’s our child or not.
67points
#5
I suggest that all women read The Gift of Fear by Gavin De Becker. It is old now, and I wish the gender roles and nuances in that context had been updated - but it taught me that I dont have to say yes, I dont have to be polite to someone who is invading my space, I don't care if the creepy guy thinks I'm a b**ch, I will not open my door just because someone is pounding on it...
Learning to listen and trust our intuition is super important and will keep us safe.
Learning to listen and trust our intuition is super important and will keep us safe.
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57points
#6
I’m a s*xual a*****t lawyer. The person you know well or are dating is so much more likely to harm you than a random stranger. Don’t stop being vigilant just bc you “know him”…
55points
#7
Honestly? I got a Rottweiler and he goes anywhere I can take him. ATM? Rottweiler. Gas station? Rottweiler. To the mail box? Rottweiler. If someone is outside my house I know because Rottweiler. And he deterred someone from breaking into my apartment.
55points
#8
Never, ever wear headphones when out walking. Many will disagree. But I want to know if someone ore something is coming up behind me!
51points
#9
A can of wasp spray around the house is WAY more effective than mace. It’s made to spray accurately more than 10 feet away and blinds your assailant. It’s also an inconspicuous thing to keep around the home.
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51points
#10
Walk like you know exactly where you're going and you belong where you are.
48points
#11
Guys are more turned off by crazy girl behavior than they are of "no thanks, I have a boyfriend" . So whenever a guy starts hitting on me and I've said no thanks or made it clear I'm not interested and he doubles down, I switch it up and fawn all over him saying "oh, you look like such a good father, I've always wanted 6 kids, 3 girls and 3 boys. Their names are going to be..." And they pretty much all take off running like their pants are on fire 😂😂😂
48points
#12
If I travel alone I always say I’m going to meet my family to “celebrate my dad’s retirement from the homicide unit and my brothers promotion to detective” 😂 I’ll even memorize a local precinct number to make it more believable.
44points
#13
Warning Graphic ***
My dad was a Vietnam vet who taught me guerrilla warfare tactics as self defense when I was really young. Appropriate? Maybe and maybe not.
If your attacker gets close enough, poke your thumb into the corner of the eye nearest the bridge of the nose in a scooping motion. The eye will come out. Grab the eye firmly, it will be slippery, and yank very hard to sever the optic nerve and disable your attacker.
Also, never go to a second location. Never.
My dad was a Vietnam vet who taught me guerrilla warfare tactics as self defense when I was really young. Appropriate? Maybe and maybe not.
If your attacker gets close enough, poke your thumb into the corner of the eye nearest the bridge of the nose in a scooping motion. The eye will come out. Grab the eye firmly, it will be slippery, and yank very hard to sever the optic nerve and disable your attacker.
Also, never go to a second location. Never.
43points
#14
Predators can read the least confident person in the room by looking at them, scanning. They smell fear.
Body language, how you walk, how you step and move. You gotta embody self worth or they’ll pick up on all the lack of self esteem and insecurities that makes you a target.
If a male stranger asks you “for help,” that’s a trap. Keep moving. Men don’t instinctively ask a woman that they just met to help them. Protect yourself, you don’t need to perform your empathy in a trade for safety.
Body language, how you walk, how you step and move. You gotta embody self worth or they’ll pick up on all the lack of self esteem and insecurities that makes you a target.
If a male stranger asks you “for help,” that’s a trap. Keep moving. Men don’t instinctively ask a woman that they just met to help them. Protect yourself, you don’t need to perform your empathy in a trade for safety.
43points
#15
Lock your doors as soon as you get into the car. It doesn’t matter if someone walking by will get their feelings hurt or feel offended as if you did it because of them personally. YOUR safety is more important than their feelings.
38points
#16
If I’m walking at night in a quieter area, I walk in the street instead of on the sidewalks.
36points
#17
I had a friend in college who faked an epilepsy seizure during an attempted r*pe. I thought that was pretty smart. It prevented the r*pe.
36points
#18
This may sound harsh, but stop being so quick to help people, especially men.
Always assess the situation and your environment.
Always assess the situation and your environment.
35points
#19
Keep a burner wallet with expired cards, empty gift cards, an old library card & some singles. Throw it past the assailant & run in the opposite direction. They’re forced to go after the “easy money” or to go after a moving target.
32points
#20
Unpopular opinion, I guess, but never having to depend on a man for anything including support.
31points