Recently, rapists and date rapists in prison were interviewed on what they look for in a potential victim. Here are some important revelations:
1) The first thing men look for in a potential victim is hairstyle. They are most likely to go after a woman with a ponytail, bun, braid or other hairstyle that can easily be grabbed. They also likely to go after a woman with long hair. Women with short hair are not common targets.
2) The second thing men look for is clothing. They will look for women whose clothing is easy to remove quickly. Many of them carry scissors around specifically to cut clothing.
3) They look for a woman on her cell phone, searching through her purse or doing other activities while walking because she is off-guard and can be easily overpowered.
4) Men are most likely to attack and rape in the early morning between 5:00 a.m. and 8:30 a.m.
5) The Number One place women are abducted from or attacked is grocery store parking lots.
Number Two: office parking lots/garages.
Number Three: public restrooms.
6) These men are looking to grab a woman and quickly move her to another location where they don't have to worry about getting caught.
7) Only 2% said they carried weapons because rape carries a 3-5 years sentence but rape using a weapon is 15-20 years.
8) If you put up any kind of a fight at all, they get discouraged because it only takes a minute or two for them to realize that going after you isn't worth it because it will be time-consuming and, also, increases their likelihood of being caught.
9) These men said they would not pick on women who have umbrellas or other similar objects that can be used from a distance in their hands. Keys are NOT a deterrent because you have to get really close to the attacker to use them as a weapon. The idea is to convince these guys you're not worth it.
10) Several defense mechanisms mentioned are these: If someone is following behind you on a street or in a garage or with you in an elevator or stairwell, look them in the face and ask them a question or make small talk. “What time is it?” or “I can’t believe it’s so cold” or “Think we’re in for a bad winter?” Now, that you’ve seen their face and heard their voice and are more likely able to identify them in a line-up and could more certainly identify them, you lose your
appeal as a target.
11) If someone is coming toward you, hold your hands in front of you and yell “STOP!” or “STAY BACK!” Most rapists interviewed said they'd leave a woman alone if she yelled or showed she would fight back. Again, they are looking for an EASY target!
12) If you carry pepper spray, yelling “I HAVE PEPPER SPRAY” and holding it out will be a deterrent.
13) If someone grabs you, you can't beat them with strength but you can outsmart them. If you are grabbed around the waist from behind, pinch the attacker either under the arm (between the elbow and armpit) OR in the upper inner thigh VERY, VERY HARD.
(One woman in a self-defense class said she used the underarm pinch on a guy who was trying to date rape her and was so upset she broke through the skin and tore out muscle strands. The guy needed stitches.) Try pinching yourself in those places as hard as you can stand it. It hurts!
14) After the initial hit, always GO for the GROIN. It’s extremely painful. You might think that you'll anger the guy and make him want to hurt you more, but these rapists said what they want is a woman who will not cause a lot of trouble.
So, start causing trouble!
15) When a guy puts his hands up to you, grab his first two fingers and bend them back as far as possible with as much pressure pushing down on them as possible. It’s very painful!
16) Of course the things we always hear still apply. Always be aware of your surroundings. Take someone with you, if you can. And if you see any odd behavior, don't dismiss it. Go with your instincts!!! You may feel a little silly at the time, but you'd feel much worse if the guy really was trouble.
OTHER TIPS:The elbow is the strongest point on your body.
If you are close enough, use it!
If a robber asks for your wallet or purse, DO NOT HAND IT TO HIM.
Toss it away from you. He’s more interested in your wallet or purse than you. Chances are that he will go to retrieve it. THEN RUN LIKE MAD IN THE OTHER DIRECTION!
If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car, kick out the back taillights and stick your arm out the hole and wave like crazy. The driver won’t see you, but everybody else will. This trick has saved lives.
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. This is his perfect opportunity to get in on the passenger’s 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.
If someone is in the car with a gun to your head, DO NOT DRIVE OFF! Instead gun the engine and speed into anything, wrecking the car. Your Air Bag will save you. If the person is in the back seat, they will get the worst of it. As soon as the car crashes, bail out and run. It is better than having them find your body in a remote location.
TIPS ABOUT GETTING INTO YOUR CAR IN A PARKING LOT OR PARKING GARAGE:
A.) Be aware: look around you, look into your car, at the passenger’s side floor, and in the back seat.
B.) If you are parked next to a big van, enter your car from the passenger’s 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 driver's side of your vehicle and the passenger’s 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.
MORE SAFETY TIPS:
ALWAYS take the elevator instead of the stairs. (Stairwells are horrible places to be alone and the perfect crime spot. This is especially true at NIGHT!)
If the predator has a gun and you are not under his control, ALWAYS RUN! 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, preferably in a zigzag pattern!
As women, you tend to always be sympathetic. It may get you raped or killed. 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 getting into his vehicle or with his vehicle, which is when he abducted his next victim.
KNOW THIS SAFETY POINT: A crying baby on your porch? Call the police! The police will tell you ”Whatever you do, DO NOT open the door.” Serial killers have been known to use a recorded baby’s cry to coax a woman out of her home when she thinks someone dropped off a baby.
DO NOT open the door for a crying baby. The “Crying Baby” hoax was mentioned on the TV show America's Most Wanted when they profiled a serial killer in Louisiana.
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