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In the safe and cosy confines of Singapore, we are often lulled into an overly confident sense of security. Many of us read the news or hear about an incident, we think to ourselves that we are lucky not to have much of such situations in Singapore. However, this is a very risky mindset to take. Does “low crime doesn’t mean no crime” sound familiar? Now, I’m not saying we should start panicking and look for bogeyman around every corner. That will be just plain paranoid. Nonetheless, a little awareness and quick thinking will go a long way in keeping you safe. For any incident to occur, there are generally 5 “ingredients” that go into the mix – Location, Time, Aggressor, Victim and Action. Just deal with any one aspect and you’ll be safe more often than not. Sounds easy, isn’t it? It is, if you are consciously paying attention. Here are 5 simple tips to get you going! #1 Location While crime can happen anywhere, it is more likely to happen at a deserted place than somewhere bustling with activity. Keep an eye out for high-risk locations and take steps to avoid being there in the first place. This means not taking that shortcut down the creepy back alley or entering an isolated area with your new date just for some private time. This is by far the simplest safety tip to implement, yet many people fail to do so by giving all sorts of excuse like, “I’ll be quick or extra careful” or “I am not that unlucky”. Sure, you might get away unscathed this time, but why take the risk? You’re just increasing the probability that it’ll happen to you next time. #2 Time As the saying goes, timing is everything. A difference of just an hour can greatly increase your exposure to the unsavoury types. There’s a reason why conventional wisdom advises you not to go home too late at night – it’s all for your own safety! Be aware of places that you frequent, and how different they can be during day time and night time. This includes the lighting and the number of people present. Sometimes it’s better to avoid that early morning jog at the park if you know that you will be jogging alone. Why not wait a little until there are more joggers around or visit the tracks instead? Also, leaving a party an hour earlier so you won’t have to walk home in pitch darkness is well worth the sacrifice. #3 Aggressor If for some reason you should find yourself in the wrong place and wrong time, the next thing you should watch out for is the presence of a potential aggressor. Stay alert and sensitive to your surroundings! Keep a look out for suspicious persons that might be hanging around or approaching you and adjust your path to avoid them. You can always cross the road or enter a nearby convenience store if you feel threatened. So the next time you are on way home, you might just want to unplug those earphones and stop fiddling with your mobile phone, but pay attention to the road ahead instead. #4 Victim Often times, aggressors will pick their victims and go for easier targets. After all, why pick on someone that might struggle or fight back if there’s a weaker, more submissive person nearby? By presenting yourself as a difficult or unlikely target, your chances of becoming a victim are greatly reduced. As such, your body language plays an important role in protecting you. If you appear to be confident and alert, you will be less likely to be preyed upon. Learn how to blend in when in when travelling overseas, so that you don’t come across as a tourist waiting to be cheated. Remember, chins up, back straight, and take a confident strut wherever you go! #5 Action When all else fails and you are faced with an impending altercation, the most critical thing to do is to take action! Many people freeze in fear and fail to do anything, which is the worst possible response. Try to defuse the situation by talking down the aggressor if possible. If he seems unlikely to back down, take swift and decisive action. This means striking him hard and fast if you are unable to run away in time. You want to deal with the threat before it spirals out of your control. That said, it is always better to avoid an encounter by practising personal safety with the previous four tips. Do not leave it to the last possible moment as many things can go wrong before that. Now that you’ve read some of the possible steps you can take to protect yourself, start implementing them today! While the simplistic discussion above will not cover all the facets of personal safety and self-defence, it is a basic guideline that you can start with. Remember, at the heart of any skill is practice, so do make sure you take a deliberate effort to put into action some of the tips here! You can also attend self-defence classes at the Personal Defence Academy to better prepare yourself for last ditch situations so you’re not at a total loss should the unfortunate happen. Have a comment or question? Feel free to drop us an email! You can also subscribe to our newsletter to avoid missing out on future articles!
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