Passing On an Important Reminder

If you’re a female or know one who’s very dear to you… pass this along. They really make sense!

We can now add to the list of victims the retired 77-yr.-old TCU professor from Ft. Worth whose body was found last week in Oklahoma–and the 11-yr.-old in Sarasota, FL. Because of these recent abductions in daylight hours, refresh yourself of these things to do in an emergency situation…This is for you, and for you to share with your wife, your children, everyone you know.

After reading these 9 crucial tips, forward them to someone you care about. It never hurts to be careful in this crazy world we live in.

1. Tip from Tae Kwon Do: The elbow is the strongest point on your body. If you are close enough to use it, do!

2. Learned this from a tourist guide in New Orleans. If a robber asks for your wallet and/or purse, DO NOT HAND IT TO HIM. Toss it away from you….chances are that he is more interested in your wallet and/or purse than you, and he will go for the wallet/purse. RUN LIKE MAD IN THE OTHER DIRECTION!

3. If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car, kick out the back tail lights and stick your arm out the hole and start waving like crazy. The driver won’t see you, but everybody else will. This has saved lives.

4. Women have a tendency to get into their cars after shopping, eating, working, etc., and just sit (doing their checkbook, or making a list, etc.) DON’T DO THIS! The predator will be watching you, and this is the perfect opportunity for him to get in on the passenger side, put a gun to your head, and tell you where to go. AS SOON AS YOU GET INTO YOUR CAR, LOCK THE DOORS AND LEAVE.

a. If someone is in the car with a gun to your head DO NOT DRIVE OFF. Repeat: DO NOT DRIVE OFF! Instead gun the engine and speed into anything, wrecking the car. Your Air Bag will save you. If the person is in the back seat, they will get the worst of it. As soon as the car crashes, bail out and run. It is better than having them find your body in a remote location.

5. A few notes about getting into your car in a parking lot, or parking garage:
A.) Be aware: look around you, look into your car, at the passenger side floor, and in the back seat.
B.) If you are parked next to a big van, enter your car from the passenger door. Most serial killers attack their victims by pulling them into their vans while the women are attempting to get into their cars.
C.) Look at the car parked on the driver’s side of your vehicle, and the passenger side. If a male is sitting alone in the seat nearest your car, you may want to walk back into the mall, or work, and get a guard/policeman to walk you back out.

IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY. (And better paranoid than dead.)

6. ALWAYS take the elevator instead of the stairs. (Stairwells are horrible places to be alone and the perfect crime spot.This is especially true at NIGHT!)
7. If the predator has a gun and you are not under his control, ALWAYS RUN! The predator will only hit you (a running target) 4 in 100 times; And even then, it most likely WILL NOT be a vital organ. RUN, Preferably in a zig -zag pattern!

8. As women, we are always trying to be sympathetic: STOP. It may get you raped, or killed. Ted Bundy, the serial killer, was a good-looking, well educated man, who ALWAYS played on the sympathies of unsuspecting women. He walked with a cane, or a limp, and often asked “for help” into his vehicle or with his vehicle, which is when he abducted his next victim.

************* Here it is *******
9. Another Safety Point: Someone just told me that her friend heard a crying baby on her porch the night before last, and she called the police because it was late and she thought it was weird. The police told her “Whatever you do, DO NOT open the door.”

The lady then said that it sounded like the baby had crawled near a window, and she was worried that it would crawl to the street and get run over. The policeman said, “We already have a unit on the way, whatever you do, DO NOT open the door.” He told her that they think a serial killer has a baby’s cry recorded and uses it to coax women out of their homes thinking that someone dropped off a baby. He said they have not verified it, but have had several calls by women saying that they hear baby’s cries outside their doors when they’re home alone at night.

Please pass this on and DO NOT open the door for a crying baby —-This e-mail should probably be taken seriously because the Crying Baby theory was mentioned on America’s Most Wanted this past Saturday when they profiled the serial killer in Louisiana.

I’d like you to forward this to all the women you know. It may save a life. A candle is not dimmed by lighting another candle. I was going to send this to the ladies only, but guys, if you love your mothers, wives, sisters, daughters, etc., you may want to pass it on to them, as well.

Send this to any woman you know that may need to be reminded that the world we live in has a lot of crazies in it and it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Shannon LaForge
Courtroom Deputy to Judge Robert Junell
U.S. District Court for the Western District

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By Holly

Novelist, writing teacher, on a mission to reprint my out-of-print books and indie-publish my new ones.

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Jim
Jim
17 years ago

Holly,

My point in posting from Snopes is that Snopes doesnt “thoroughly debunk” the advice. They do make some good points, and some inane points (as yoiu pointed out), but generally say “this advice is good but insufficient.”

Which is again to come back to their comment on the first point — self defense training is better than no self defense training. To which I will add, untrained good common sense is better than panicking.

arrvee
17 years ago

Not only CAN you do something about, you SHOULD. Women are the preferential victims of predators because of those unfortunate societal preconceptions. That won’t change until the victims become at least as dangerous as those trying to victimize them, and I’m totally in favor of that.

carlie
17 years ago

Just one thing…

Women have to accept the fact that they are victimized so often because our society expects them to be weak and afraid. arrvee said.

I think that we DON’T have to accept that. We can do something about it.

arrvee
17 years ago

Just a few things:

1.) While walking through any area that might be dangerous, clench yyour fist with keys sticking our between your fingers. You can practically tear somebody’s face off with a good swing or punch out an eye.

2.) The nose is the most vulnerable spot on the human body. A good, hard punch in the schnozz will give you at least a couple of steps head start or a chance to take out a knee.

3.) Scream. Muggers, etc. depend on their victims being compliant. Don’t be.

4.) Regardless of whether the crying baby is an urban legend or not, ANY unusual noise outside your house or apartment is cause for alarm, especially at night. Call the police, that’s what they’re for.

5.) DO NOT BE A WIMP! In a situation like Holly is talking about, your LIFE is on the line. Every time. You cannot be soft. If you have to fight, throw every blow with your full strength and the intent to maim or kill.

Women have to accept the fact that they are victimized so often because our society expects them to be weak and afraid. Fear is OK if it’s channeled into action. Weak is not OK. Attackers do not expect women to fight. In fact, they count on their victims being fearful and compliant. When women become as ruthless as their attackers, the problem will diminish to almost nothing.

Jim
Jim
17 years ago

Well, as the “perp” who sent this to you, I thought I should go to the Snopes site to check. The link is
http://www.snopes.com/crime/prevent/ninetips.asp
and this is a summary assessment of the tips:

1. Taking any action without formal self defense training is risky; that said, while the elbow is effective, stricly speaking the knee is stronger.

2. “Throwing the money away” would probably be an effective ploy for muggers/burglars (and I’ve seen it suggested in other self-defense videos), but not for kidnappers and other predators. You need to know what your assailant intends before you finalize you decision.

3. The “Trunk” solution is probably not effectiive in most modern cars, and you should consider alternatives based on modern designs. Probably the most thoroughly debunked of the 9 tips.

4. Snopes concurs: Don’t linger in parking lots.

5. Snopes generally concurs that it is a good idea to be careful of people nearby when getting into an automobile but disagrees with reasoning and adds further precuations.

6. Snopes concurs: Avoid stairwells becuase of ther isolation/privacy.

7. Snopes disagrees, largely because they don’t believe the 4% chance of being hit by your assailant’s bullet under these circumstances is realistic. Advice offered to improve your chances if you are shot at.

8. Snopes concurs that Ted Bundy worked by playing on sympathy, but noteds that he didn’t use this play all of the time, and that each serial killer has his own approach to finding victims.

9. Snopes says the crying baby ploy is a hoax.

carlie
17 years ago

This is all well and good, but instead of women needing to protect themselves I wish there was more information out there that it is wrong to do these things in the first place. I’ll stop being a feminist when when women don’t have to be afraid for being a woman.

Katherine
17 years ago

Best site on self-defense that I’m aware of: http://www.nononsenseselfdefense.com/

One of the reasons why it’s good is that the author is NOT trying to sell you anything.

Best tip from the site: spend a week trying to think like a mugger. Figure out the best places to lurk along the routes you travel most often. Make a habit of checking those spots *every* time you go past them.

Breece
17 years ago

Ooooooooh, madame you are wonderful and always so full of surprises.

Sidebar to tip #1 (training and experience), keep in mind that the groin is *not always your best target. Too many women I know believe this is their ticket out of a bad situation, but 1) men expect it and will guard against it, and 2) a blow to the groin really won’t stop most of them. It does, however, enrage them and if they intend to hurt you in the first place, it only adds fuel to the fire. Adrenaline does amazing things to the body. Aim for the nose, knees, or eyes (and the groin, just don’t make it your first or only target). Strike, distract, and GET OUT.

A lot of law enforcement agencies (county sheriff and city police departments) sponsor low-cost or even no-cost self-defense classes tailored for women of all ages (men, too; you guys are just as vulnerable to attack!). Also check YMCA and possibly even the Red Cross. Let professionals show you how to protect yourself. Don’t be alarmed if someone grabs your tush and you don’t respond well the first time with all your spiffy new training. When push comes to shove and it’s all about survival, you’ll have those skills at your command. Learn them and practice them. They’ll serve you well.

Awareness saves lives.

Don’t open the door for a crying baby? Man, I’m a sucker for the next door neighbor’s cat.

Sorry Miss Holly, protecting people is one of my deepest passions. Ramble: off

nicolane
nicolane
17 years ago

Oh dear Holly, I’m afraid you’ve been had – this post almost in its entirety is thoroughly debunked on Snopes.

http://www.snopes.com/crime/prevent/ninetips.asp

TinaK
17 years ago

All very good ideas Holly. Thanks. Just an FYI though: The crying baby is an urban legend.

http://www.snopes.com/crime/warnings/crybaby.asp

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