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The “It won’t happen to me”
syndrome
Have you thought about how
vulnerable you are when you step into the privacy of someone’s
home? What do complete strangers know about you? Do you
feel you are safe because you work in nice neighborhoods?
Personal Safety is not
something most people want to have to think about on a regular
basis. However, if you work alone or visit clients in their
homes, thinking about ways to make your job safer can actually help
you relax and have less apprehension and fear.
Many people that make home
visits have the “It won’t happen to me” syndrome. Because
their clients are wealthy or live in an affluent area they feel they
are safe. However, these demographics do not protect you
from someone with a mental imbalance or drug problem. It just
means they will have better lawyers to get them out of any trouble
they might cause!
Home visitors of all ages,
visiting clients of all demographics, have experienced robbery,
theft, stalking, verbal abuse, sex crimes, sexual harassment,
physical abuse, threats and murder. There are also dangers
that may not be crime related that should be considered: pets that
could bite or scratch, health emergencies, visitors or other
employees or family members of the client that may have issues with
you, hazards like ice or wet floors and even a house fire. Do
you have a plan for these situations?
When a person first starts
to think of their safety, it is usually the dreaded “What-if’s” that
are considered. It is easy to get overwhelmed and to say “it
won’t happen to me.” The reason this happens is because the
“What-if’s” don’t provide solutions. If you only think about
what could happen, and don’t have solutions, you are left feeling
vulnerable. If you don’t consider and accept the
possibilities, you will not be open to the solutions.
When you have found
solutions to the What-if’s and know how to stay safe, you can relax
and will be less afraid. By arming yourself with knowledge,
you are empowering yourself. There ARE solutions, and you
will need to take the initiative to learn about them, because YOU
are the only one you can count on for
protection!
According to the U.S.
Department of Labor- Bureau of Labor Statistics, in just a 10 year
period (between 1992 and 2002) there were 724 deaths of workers in
residences due to crime. This only includes those that died.
Like the nurse that was killed by the mentally unbalanced son of her
patient in a town of only 4000 people. And the social worker
killed by a client she had been working with for several
months. The statistics do not count the thousands that were
attacked and survived. Like the 63-year-old real estate agent
that was raped at knifepoint.
So, how can you be safer?
- Learn about the possibilities so you
can develop safety plans. Knowing about ploys that are used,
subtle body language to watch for, verbal danger signals and
dangerous situations will help you develop your instincts.
- Trust your instincts! If you get a bad
feeling about someone or something, do not dismiss those
feelings! All animals have instincts, but humans are the
only ones that choose to disregard them on a regular basis so as
not to offend anyone or appear rude.
- Stay aware of your surroundings.
If you don’t know who and what is around you, you are much
less likely to spot the warning signals. The people that prey on
humans prefer targets that are unaware and have not looked them in
the face.
- Use confident body language. It
takes less than 2 seconds for a predator to identify a potentially
suitable victim. Someone with confident body language and
awareness is a less desirable choice than someone that is mentally
or physically pre-occupied and unaware, regardless of a person’s
size or age. If your body language makes you appear strong
and assured, it will send the bad guys on to those that appear
weaker.
- Someone that cares about you should
know where you are going and when you are expected to
return. If you went missing, would anyone notice?
Would they know where to start looking for you? Unless signs of
foul play are evident, most police departments require a 24 hour
waiting period before an adult can be reported as missing.
- Don’t give out your personal
information. Never use your home phone or home address on
business cards, or during other business correspondence. If
you have trouble with a client or you cross paths with a stalker,
it should be as difficult as possible for them to find out where
you live, if you have kids or pets, what your level of income
might be, what your schedule is like, etc. If you work from
home, get a P.O. box to use as your address and use a cell phone
as your business line.
This is just the tip of the
proverbial iceberg. I hope that I have raised your level of
awareness enough that you will be willing to look at the
possibilities and will develop safety plans to handle them.
This is knowledge that could save your life!
If you are interested in
learning more about how to stay safe, I recommend my book: “Safe
Home Visits,” available at www.SafeHomeVisits.com I am also available
to speak at seminars, conferences and other group
functions.
Chris Puls- Safety Expert,
former Police Officer, Martial Artist
www.SafeHomeVisits.com
