Personal safety out and about

The chances of you or a member of your family becoming a victim of violent crime are low. Violent crimes by strangers in public places are still rare and account for a very small part of recorded crime.

Personal safety out and about
Personal safety: theft and robbery
Personal safety: transport
Personal safety: women
Personal safety: men
Personal safety: hate crime

Personal safety out and about
You can make yourself even less likely to be the victim of a violent crime – for example, robbery (mugging) or assault – by taking a few sensible precautions. Many are common sense, and may be things that you already do. Making yourself safer doesn't mean changing your entire lifestyle, personality or wardrobe, and it doesn't mean never going out at all.

Men and women can experience crime differently and it is important to remember this so you can protect yourself as well as possible. You should think about how you would act in different situations before you are in them. Think about whether you would stay and defend yourself (using reasonable force), risking further injury, or whether you would give an attacker what they want, to avoid injury.

There is nothing wrong with doing either, but you should think about the options – there will be no time to do so if you are attacked.

Some general points

You will be safest in bright, well-lit and busy areas.
Try to look and act confident – look like you know where you are going and walk tall.
You might like to spread your valuables around your body. For example, keep your phone in your bag, your house keys in your trouser pocket and your money in your jacket.
If someone tries to take something from you, it may be better to let them take it rather than to get into a confrontation and risk injury.
You can use reasonable force in self-defence.
You are allowed to protect yourself with something you are carrying anyway (for example, keys or a can of deodorant), but you may not carry a weapon.
If you decide to defend yourself, be aware that your attacker might be stronger than you, or may take what you are using in self-defence and use it against you.
It is often better just to shout loudly and run away. Shout 'fire' rather than 'help' – it can get more results.
If you use a wheelchair, keep your things beside you rather than at the back of the chair.
Try not to be conspicuous about the valuables you are carrying. Talking on your mobile phone, carrying a laptop, or showing your friend your new gold ring all show thieves that you are worth robbing.
When out walking or jogging, you should not listen to a personal stereo through headphones, so you can stay more alert to your surroundings.

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Personal safety: theft and robbery
Street robbery is generally known as mugging. It can also cover snatching bags. Pick pocketing is slightly different, as you will not be aware of the offence taking place.

Robbery is more likely to take place in quiet or dark areas, and pick pocketing where it is busy, for example, on a busy train in rush hour.

Young men are most likely to be the victims of robbery, and are typically attacked by other young men.

If someone tries to take something from you by force, it may be best to give it to them. This will help you avoid getting injured. But you can take the following actions to reduce the effects of a theft, if it happens to you:

Credit cards Keep your cards separate from your cheque books. If your cards are stolen, call your bank or credit-card company as soon as possible. Most banks put the number to call if your cards are stolen on your statement.

They are also often shown on cash machines. Following the general guidelines for personal safety will help you avoid situations where people may rob you.

Mobile phones If your phone is stolen, report your number to your network and the police – the handset can now be barred on all networks and will be useless to thieves.

Register your phone with your network operator. Record your registration number (IMEI) and your phone number. Keep these in a safe place separate from your phone. You can get your IMEI number (15-digit serial number) by keying *#06# into most phones or by looking behind your phone battery.

Report the number of your stolen phone to your network operator and the police as quickly as you can. It can now be cancelled immediately like a stolen credit card. Stay alert – your phone is a valuable item. When you are out, be aware of your surroundings and don't use your phone in crowded areas or where you might feel unsafe.
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Personal safety: transport This section offers some general tips on how to keep yourself safe and secure when you're making a journey – either catching a bus or taxi, or when you're in the car.

Public transport

As with everything, you are safest where there are other people, and where it is light or well lit.
Plan your route.
Try to wait in busy or well-lit areas.
Sit near other people, near the driver if you are on a bus, or near the conductor if you are on a train.
Move if someone makes you feel uncomfortable.

Driving

Keep your car in good condition and try not to run out of petrol.
Keep doors locked when driving and keep bags, phones and other valuables out of sight, preferably in the boot.
Try to park in well-lit or busy areas.
If you park during the day, think about what the area will feel like after dark.
Some car parks have 'Secured car park' accreditation.
Find out which ones do locally and try to use them – look out for the 'Secured car park' sign.
If you break down on the motorway, follow the arrows to the nearest phone.
Do not cross the carriageway.
Wait outside your car (as far away as possible from the carriageway) unless you feel threatened, in which case you should sit in the passenger seat.
Do not give lifts to or accept lifts with people you do not know, or do not know well.
Do not drive if you have been drinking or taking drugs, and do not accept a lift from someone who has.
You may feel more comfortable carrying a mobile phone with you. Try to keep it out of sight, and do not use it while driving.

Taxis

If you are going to be out late, try to arrange a lift home or book a taxi.
Check that the taxi that arrives is the one you ordered.
If you can pre-book your taxi, make a note of the company you are using and the phone number, and leave it with a friend.
Always keep the number of a reliable firm handy.
Avoid minicabs or private-hire cars that tout for business and are unlicensed.
Always sit behind the driver in the back seat. If you feel uneasy, ask to be let out in a well-lit area where there are plenty of people.
If in any doubt, don't get in the taxi.

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Personal safety: women

Everyone has the right to live free of unwanted attention, harassment and abuse. You have this right, whoever you are, whatever your race, background, religion or sexuality, and however you dress or act.

No-one has the right to interfere with this, whether they are strangers, colleagues, friends, acquaintances or family.

Minor sexual assault
This is more likely to happen in crowded places. It includes being touched or rubbed against. It can be hard to know who is doing this, so it is often easier to move away, if this is possible.

Try to move to where there are other women. If you feel confident to do so, a stern 'take your hands off me' may make the person stop. This will also alert other people to their behaviour.

Sexual assault and rape
Despite popular beliefs, rape by a stranger is very uncommon. Sexual assault and rape are more likely to happen in less busy areas. You can reduce the risk of this type of attack by following the general guidance earlier in this section. If you are attacked, you must decide whether to defend yourself, which may put you at risk of further injury. Or it may not be possible to defend yourself.

Either way, you did not ask to be raped. It is not your fault. You did not deserve it.

If you have been raped, you may or may not want to report it to the police, or to see a nurse or counsellor. The police are specially trained to work with women who have been sexually assaulted. You will be able to talk to a female police officer, and to a female doctor or nurse if you go to hospital.

If you want to report the crime straightaway, whether you get medical help or go straight to the police, try not to wash or change your clothes. If you want to report the crime at a later date, this is okay too.

If you know someone who has been raped, try to be supportive, but do not be judgemental. It is up to them what they do now.
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Personal safety: men
While women are most at risk from men on their own, men are more at risk from groups of men. Most commonly, young men are attacked by groups of other young men.

You can reduce the risk by following the general guidance – for example, trying to stay in well-lit or busy areas. Another way to avoid violence is to stop a confrontational situation turning into an aggressive one. Think about how you react when you get angry. If you feel yourself getting angry with someone, or if they get angry with you, try to move away. It takes a brave man to back down from a fight.

If you have been attacked, you may want to go to the police, or to a doctor. The doctor may also ask you what has happened, but if you don't want to tell them, you don't have to.

Your actions towards women
A lot of women's fear of crime comes from men's actions. You can help this by thinking about what you and your friends do. For example: don't start conversations with women on their own; try not to walk too close behind – they may think you are following them; respect women's personal space; don't make comments about women who walk past; and remember that 'no' means 'no'.
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Personal safety: hate crime
Hate crimes are directed against people because of some aspect of who they are, most typically because they are from an ethnic minority or visible religious minority, or because of their sexuality. Hate crime covers a wide range of behaviour, for example, verbal abuse, racist or homophobic graffiti or physical assault.

A crime can be classed as a hate crime if the victim or witness sees it as being so. If you are the victim of what you think is a hate crime, it is not your fault. You have the right to live your life free from abuse and violence, whoever you are.

You do not have to live with hate crime. Police are trained to deal with hate crime with sensitivity and tact. They will not treat you differently because you are from an ethnic or religious minority, or because of your sexuality. A lot of police forces also provide self-referral forms, so you can report a crime without having to deal directly with the police.

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