There was a time in the not so distant past that women were expected to grow up, find Mr. Right, get married and live happily ever after. Thankfully those days are gone because, sadly to say, Mr. Right is a dying breed. The pressure to find the perfect husband often led girls to marry the first man who came along or one she ‘thought’ would meet her family’s expectations. The divorce rate skyrocketed, women were abused more than we’d like to talk about and many women just lived a tolerable, if not miserable, existence.
Now that it is no longer socially taboo to stay single as long as you want to, you really need to rethink how you can protect yourself against any number of threats to your person. Whether at home or traveling, as a woman you are going to be viewed weaker and you will find that women usually make better targets because of this. It is not only in your best interest to learn how to protect yourself but it is also your right to do so by law. Here are a few good tips.
1) Get Neighborly
So, you are living alone. So what? Millions of other professional women are doing it and they are not allowing themselves to be victimized. One of the things you may want to do, even though you are adamant about being self-reliant is to get neighborly. Even guys living on their own make the neighbors’ acquaintance because, as the old saying goes, there’s safety in numbers. As your neighbors learn more about you, they are likely to know your ‘at home’ habits.
What time do you leave for work and what time do you return home? Do you generally have company late at night and if so, what cars are usually spotted in your drive? Form a watchdog community with your neighbors, each looking out for the others. As a woman living alone, this could one day save your life! A watchful neighbor might just be in a better position to dial 911 than you, especially if you have a gun or knife pointed in your direction.
2) Install Home Security
While you might not have the money to have one of those overpriced home security systems installed, there are products on the market that take only minutes to install and all you need is the time to watch a short video and you don’t even need a wi-fi or telephone connection! Products like SimpliSafe broadcast to the agency of your choice via cell phone and can be armed or disarmed by mobile. Nothing is overly heavy and the instructions are easy and clearly stated. With a product like this you are only ten minutes away from the security you need as a woman living alone.
3) Buy a Gun and Learn to Use It
One of the biggest mistakes many people make (men and women alike!) is to buy a gun for safety and protection, but they never really take the time to master it. Whether you choose a hand gun or rifle, practice at the range as often as possible in the beginning and after you become proficient, keep going regularly to the shooting range so that you don’t become rusty – and neither does your gun! It will do you no good if you can’t work it expertly enough in a crisis or if it isn’t used and cleaned regularly. The key to gun ownership and gun safety is to familiarize yourself to the point where it feels ‘normal’ to pack!
These are only a few safety tips for women living alone as there are so many more you should become acquainted with. It is no longer a sign of rebellion to live alone and you don’t need to fall prey to the image of woman as weak. Learn to protect yourself because someday you might need to do just that!
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