Today, I attended a safety and security training at the Department of State and it made me realize that (1) Wilson and I built up some great safety & security skills during our globetrotting; and (2) there is more to learn -- found out some new security skills today. Because safety is so important, I wanted to share tips from today, other courses, and years of travel to sixty-plus countries.
EVALUATE YOUR ENVIRONMENT
-- Scan the situation & be prepared to act
Scanning the situation means looking behind, in front, and around you, noting the people, the exits, and even potential escape routes if someone attacks you. In a comfortable environment, we aren't often focused on our surroundings but it is important to stay focused. Staying focused helps you avoid crime and allows you to proactively avoid potential threats.
-- Assess strangers
Avoiding potential threats may require assessing people and planning escape routes. Assessing people means evaluating whether people are paying too much attention to you, doing something strange, or just don't fit into the situation.
-- ATM machines
ATM machines are a high risk zone because it is a money machine -- either because someone can beat you up and take your money or use technology to scan your ATM card for use at other ATMs. So tips for ATM machines are (1) use ATMs inside of banks rather than street ATMs; and (2) have a buddy/traveling companion stand behind you and scan the environment to make sure that no one is going to come up behind you.
BE A HARD TARGET
-- Keep a low profile
It is important to try to blend in as much as possible so people don't pick you as their target. Blending in means wearing culturally appropriate clothing and potentially even wearing a hat to hide hair that stands out from the local community. Blending in also means not carrying too much stuff. Backpacks and purses are accessories that often scream "Valuables in here." Wilson and I like to travel with a shoulder bag when necessary so that the shoulder bag can be swung in front of our stomachs with our hands folded on top of the bag. I have heard many stories of backpack straps being cut from behind right off a tourist's back. The ideal is to not walk the streets with a bag at all.
-- Separate your money and valuables
There are a couple of different ways of separating your money and valuables. One of the ways that I find most useful is to keep a limited amount of money in an easy to access location such as a zipped front pocket. That limited amount of money can be used to buy items on the street, or in the case of a robbery, easily given to the robber. The majority of my money and passport, I like to keep in a money belt under my pants or around my back under my shirt. You never want to flash a lot of money or a valuable like an iPhone in a crowded situation.
-- Be confident
15 years ago, I took a self-defense course where the instructor told us that one of the most common traits of women who were brutally attacked were women who had their heads down -- reading a book, not looking around, etc. A lack of confidence tells a potential predator that you will be easy to target.
Confidence can mean different things in different places and it requires judgment. In some regions of the world, I have stared down potential threats and they have retreated. In other regions, I have given a quick rude glance and then tried to escape the situation as soon as possible.
-- Don't be afraid to be rude
One of the wonderful parts of travel is engaging with new cultures -- enjoying new people. This wonderful part also requires judgment like confidence -- sometimes you need to be rude. You need to assert yourself, say no, and establish boundaries. You don't have to talk to everyone who strikes up a conversation with you. In fact, you should discern who you choose to engage with. Finally, never give information about where you are staying and your travel plans/route to strangers or discuss that information loudly in places where that information could be overheard.
-- Vary your routine & routes
This tip is useful for domestic, as well as international life. If a predator knows that you run the same route everyday at 5am, then you are at risk. Unpredictability creates safety from those who would want to target you.
TOOLS
-- Door stopper
Traveling with a door stopper is a great tip that I learned today. You can use the simple rubber door stopper to secure yourself safely in the hotel room and not worry that an intruder may enter while you are sleeping.
-- Your instincts
The class today emphasized the importance of trusting any intuition that you feel about a situation. And that is the basis of a rule that Wilson and I created when we set off on our "dream". Our rule was -- if either of us feels funny or strange about a situation, then we get ourselves out of that situation without hesitation. That rule served us well because during the dream, we were never the victims of violent crime. And the only time that we were the victims of any crime (electronics stolen from a bungalow in Thailand), Wilson had a strong antipathy to that bungalow prior to the burglary.
IF YOU ARE A TARGET...
--Give them the stuff
If someone tries to violently rob you, then give them everything you have. It is not worth it to get hurt. Also, while you are giving them your belongings, you can take a couple steps back to increase the distance so you can escape as easily as possible without bodily harm.
--Never go with them..go CRAZY
I have heard many stats about how if you allow someone to take you, you probably won't come back alive. This course today re-emphasized that probability and they said -- fight like crazy and even go crazy. You want to make your abduction as painful as possible -- try to poke out their eyes, smash in their groin, anything to get away. And if you can't get away, then defecate, urinate, anything to make the attacker think you are crazy and give that predator pause.
Please let me know if I missed anything in the tips above I hope we all continue to stay safe in our globe-trotting adventures.
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