Walking at Night? Tips to Protect Yourself From Situations That Feel Unsafe
According to a new survey, routine activities are making people feel unsafe, including walking at night through a parking lot or garage or even taking a run.
Conducted by SABRE personal safety brand via Ipsos.Digital, a new survey revealed that over the past three years more than 80% of Americans have, at some point, felt unsafe in everyday situations.
Polling a nationally representative random sample of 1,000 people nationwide on their personal safety habits and attitudes, the survey provided several insights including just how common it is for Americans to feel unsafe and how people try to protect themselves. A few of the most notable findings include:
1) Unsafe in daily routines
Four in every five Americans admitted to feeling unsafe in everyday situations over the past three years. Beyond this, many also shared they have been uncomfortable as they go about common day-to-day activities. Forty-two percent of people confessed that walking through an area that is not well lit made them feel unsafe.
And these anxieties are not limited to dimly lit areas, as 32% of people stated they felt unsafe walking through a parking lot or garage, nearly a quarter of those surveyed (22%) experienced similar feelings while in the stairwell of a building.
2) Uneasy during recreational activities
To many, spending time exploring a local forest preserve or running solo on a trail can be a way to relax and escape everyday stress, but for a large percentage of people, these types of activities and experiences have often left them feeling uncomfortable. Most notably, two-thirds of all women surveyed expressed that when spending time running, walking or hiking in isolated areas, they have felt uncomfortable at some point over the past three years.
3) Ineffective protection methods
When presented with situations they felt were unsafe, an overwhelming majority (90%) admitted to taking steps to protect themselves. However, with only a split second to react, many of the cautionary measures being taken have been proven to be ineffective.
Among the most popular means of protection include 36% of people who have put keys between their fingers, while 30% stated they have pretended to be on a phone call to protect themselves. These forms of protection may be instinctual to further defend yourself but are ineffective and can provide a false sense of security. According to Gabrielle Rubin, founder of self-defense course Female Awareness, the real problem with holding keys between your fingers is that your attacker is already too close. The ideal safety protection tools can protect you from a distance while requiring minimal engagement and force.
4) Increased confidence with effective tools
Ultimately, however, the majority of those surveyed (64%) stated they already own a personal safety device, and of those, the bulk (86%) admitted that carrying it with them provides an increased sense of confidence and security. Some of the most popular forms of protection are self-defense products such as pepper spray (30%) and personal alarms (17%).
Given the increased sense of confidence and security that effective personal safety tools can provide, it is a good idea to explore the options to find what device works best for your needs.
A tool such as Smart Pepper Spray is one solution for everyday use. Connected to your phone via Bluetooth, this product can share your GPS location whenever pepper spray is deployed, allowing loved ones to know your exact whereabouts the moment the product is used.
Meanwhile, a product like SABRE Runner Pepper Gel may be a better fit for those searching for on-the-go safety devices to bring along as they are out preparing for a 5K and hoping for some added confidence as they begin their running regiment this spring.
Ideally the right safety tools provide an added level of confidence for users, enabling them to continue to do everything from routine daily activities to adventurous travel excursions with assurance and ease.
