BE CAUTIOUS
‘Remember, you are never responsible for being attacked but it is your responsibility to limit the risk of an attack,’ says Smit. So, make sure you act responsibly by:
• Keeping your car doors locked at all times and your window open no more than 3cm.
• Avoiding isolated places – such as a forest, a mountain or empty stretches of beach.
• Burglar-proofing your home and installing the best locks you can afford (putting in a triple-locking gate is ideal), as well as a burglar-alarm system linked to an armed-response service.
BE ON GUARD
Here’s the essential information to remember if you do find yourself in an attack situation.
Attacks can take one of two forms. The ‘blitz attack’ is sudden, unexpected, violent and aggressive. Fight back immediately and give it everything you’ve got, says Smit.
In the ‘confidence’ style of attack a person attempts to gain your trust by communicating with you – seemingly innocently – about something. He may ask you for the time or for directions, or he may say his car has broken down and he needs to use your phone. In this way he gets you to drop your guard – and then he attacks.
FIGHT BACK
Commitment is essential in an attack situation, says Smit. ‘Commit yourself to being a survivor. If fighting back is the best option in the circumstances, commit yourself to hitting out as hard as you can and don’t give up.’ You have the element of surprise on your side – he won’t be expecting you to fight back – so use it.
Use a Three-Pronged Attack
1. Hit the sensitive target areas on his body: his nose, throat, eyes, ears, groin, back of the neck or spine, bridge of the foot, fingers and knee caps. If you can’t reach one, strike another. Don’t waste energy on areas such as his chest where you can’t make much impact.
2. Use your body as a weapon. Use your hands, feet, elbow, fists, legs, head, knees and, as a last resort, teeth. Try to bite through his clothing rather than his bare skin: if he has HIV/Aids, you’ll want to keep a barrier between your mouth and his blood.
3. Use whatever you can as a weapon: your car keys, sand (which you can throw into his eyes), pepper spray, deodorant, a pen, your shoe or any other sharp object.
SIX CRUCIAL KEEP-SAFE TIPS
1. Always trust your intuition.
2. Remember that you are stronger than you may think – and your attacker is human and has weaknesses.
3. Never underestimate him or give him a chance, even if he pleads with you to stop hitting him. Chances are high he will cash in on your female vulnerability.
4. Stay calm if you’re being attacked, keep loose and supple, and think fast.
5. Make the best decision for your situation: should you fight, talk your way out of it, scream or run away?
6. Never trust your attacker.
SHOCK SPOTS
US prosecutor Linda Fairstein has pinpointed five dangerous places for women.