Parking Lot Safety for Women

Sadly we live in a day and age where this topic is mandatory reading. I have adapted an article taken from http://www.crime-safety-security.com/Parking-Lot-Safety.html.

PARKING LOT SAFETY FOR WOMEN

This is what you need to know about parking garage and parking lot safety for women. Lessons from crime victims teach you how to stay safe:

A man in a parking lot pointed a gun at a woman leaving an Arizona restaurant and ordered her into his vehicle. Instead, she ran screaming back into the restaurant and called the police.

A petite California woman was getting into her car in a parking garage when a man came up to her, put a knife to her throat and told her to get in the car. She knew that whatever harm he’d do to her in a parking lot would be worse if she went with him. She pushed the knife away but he put it back. The woman shoved her purse at him and ran for help. The man jumped into her car and sped out of the garage.

HIDING SPOTS

Parked cars provide hiding spots for a crouching, stealthy predator to close in on you. That means you should NOT be talking on a cell phone or listening to music with your ear-pods. Also beware of cars cruising the lanes - predators can suddenly stop and jump out to rob or kidnap you.

Stay ALERT and PREPARED

· ALWAYS keep warily scanning 360 degrees around you (NO ear-pods, cell phones, or other distractions)

· Carry pepper spray and a personal security alarm (noisemaker or screamer) very visibly at the ready.

· If you’re near your car, you can push your car key’s emergency button – setting off your car’s horn. Either a personal alarm or your car’s horn will spoil a predator’s secrecy.

· Make it obvious that you’re carrying pepper spray held at shoulder height and very ready to spray. Also see purse snatching FAQ.

· What if a gunman orders you to go with him? See kidnapping.

Do NOT feel guilty for assuming someone might be dangerous and treating him coldly. Get over it. An innocent and decent man easily understands a woman's safety concerns in a vulnerable location. If you become the victim of crime, you'll wish you'd been impolite before a threat escalated. See intuition and "Set Your Boundaries" at facing danger.

PARKING GARAGES are even WORSE

The garage owners say they couldn’t afford security cameras or to pay someone to sit and watch the monitors. If parking garages do have surveillance equipment, it’s often obsolete.

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Do NOT use parking garage stairs and elevators – they provide traps that benefit predators by isolating you, muffling your screams and noisemaker alarm, and depriving you of possible escape routes. INSTEAD, walk in the middle of the aisles and ramps (with your pepper spray and noisemaker visible and ready) until you reach your destination. Again, see "Set Your Boundaries" at facing danger.

PREDATORS’ FAVORITE TARGETS

• Someone looking friendly, timid, lost, absent-minded, or intoxicated – thus more easily manipulated. • Someone wearing earphones or distracted with a cell phone – unaware of her surroundings. • Someone unaware she's being followed until she's isolated and face-to-face. • Someone parking close to trucks that prevent witnesses from seeing you – predators seek that kind of cover. • Someone “handcuffed” with both arms loaded with packages or a child. For better parking garage and parking lot safety, insist that a store security guard escort you.

An Oakland County MI woman , Rebekah, had parked her car when Orlando Gonzalez called out to her that something was wrong with her car and told her to come look. She stepped toward him and he forced her to get back in her car. He kept grabbing at her and asked if she wanted to get stabbed. She started kicking him. That was when it hit her that the unbelievable was happening. Yet she kept fighting him until he gave up and fled.

Rebekah fell for his lure and “stepped toward him” rather than running away. But then, instead of surrendering and putting herself fully at the mercy of a possible serial killer, she valiantly fought off her attacker. See friendly predators.

INCREASE YOUR PARKING LOT SAFETY

· Carry pepper spray

· Carry a personal security alarm (noisemaker or screamer)

· Carry an expandable baton at the ready.

Predators can see that you're alert and prepared, so will likely leave you alone. (Or, if you're within 50 feet or so of your car, keep your finger on your car key’s emergency button to sound your horn alarm to attract attention and scare off a predator).

Also, beware of “Good Samaritans” walking around.

SAFELY LOADING YOUR CAR IF YOU HAVE A BABY WITH YOU

Position yourself so the open car door and cart surround (protect) you. Keep the baby in the cart until you finish loading the groceries. If loading into the trunk, have a convex mirror (available at auto parts stores) affixed inside your trunk lid so you can watch behind you.

To load your baby into your car (after loading the groceries, the baby goes in last), get into the rear seat with your baby, lock the doors, and buckle your baby into the safety-seat. Now look around, have pepper spray in hand, get out of the rear seat and into the driver's seat, again lock the doors, and immediately drive away. Always use this routine and it'll become second nature.

But for better parking lot safety, Have a male store employee escort you and stay until you drive away.

Always Keep Your Car LOCKED

Parking Lot Safety SUMMARY

• ALWAYS keep warily scanning 360 degrees around you (NO ear-pods, cell phones, or other distractions).

• Walk while holding pepper spray raised and ready, in full view of any predator looking for easy prey. Also keep your thumb on the panic button alarm on your key chain (emergency button), ready to attract attention and deter a predator. Or get a more effective personal security alarm (noisemaker or screamer). Carry an expandable baton at the ready.

• Lock your car doors the instant you enter and keep windows closed – then immediately drive away.

• Always keep your car locked – even if you’re just running a quick errand.

• To avoid carjackings: always be aware of your surroundings and have an escape route. If a suspicious person approaches, blare the horn and/or drive away. If it's too late, give up your property without resistance.

#parkinglotsafetyforwomen #payattentioninparkinglots