| Freelance Articles by Mary King |
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| Pay attention to your surroundings when in public, especially if you're an older woman. Read on for some common sense tips to help you avoid becoming a crime victim. |
No woman intentionally sets out to become a crime victim, but careless behavior can significantly increase
your chances. Crime prevention starts with common sense. Are you guilty of any of the careless acts
mentioned below? If so, then you can probably expect to become a crime victim at some point in the future
unless you change a few bad habits now.
Mobility Issues Put Women at Risk for Crimes in Public
Older women walk slowly to prevent falls, but their fine motor skills (hands and arms) don't function as
easily or as smoothly as they once did, either. The next time you're in the grocery store waiting in the
checkout line behind an elderly woman, observe the effort it takes her to move hands and fingers when she
pays for her goods.
Walking affects not only older women, but also women with disabilities – temporary and permanent.
Incidentally, we can also add another group here that has problems getting around: Women who are
obese. With the possible exception of obesity, there isn't a whole lot a woman can do if she has mobility
problems. Purse-snatchers are always on the lookout for vulnerable women whom they know can't chase
after them.
There are a few things a woman can do that might deter a purse snatcher or thief:
Remember, if a thief snatches your purse and runs you can always yell loudly to attract attention (and
perhaps get help from someone nearby). Pepper spray and like items aren't very practical to stop a purse
snatcher unless you have your finger on the button ready to fire the moment he grabs for your purse. He
(or she) is going to be running and you won't have time to use the spray.
your chances. Crime prevention starts with common sense. Are you guilty of any of the careless acts
mentioned below? If so, then you can probably expect to become a crime victim at some point in the future
unless you change a few bad habits now.
Mobility Issues Put Women at Risk for Crimes in Public
Older women walk slowly to prevent falls, but their fine motor skills (hands and arms) don't function as
easily or as smoothly as they once did, either. The next time you're in the grocery store waiting in the
checkout line behind an elderly woman, observe the effort it takes her to move hands and fingers when she
pays for her goods.
Walking affects not only older women, but also women with disabilities – temporary and permanent.
Incidentally, we can also add another group here that has problems getting around: Women who are
obese. With the possible exception of obesity, there isn't a whole lot a woman can do if she has mobility
problems. Purse-snatchers are always on the lookout for vulnerable women whom they know can't chase
after them.
There are a few things a woman can do that might deter a purse snatcher or thief:
- Steer clear of carrying shoulder bags that can easily be jerked off the arm. Double handles are good
too, because if a thief tries to cut the bag off your arm, then he's going to have to cut twice! - Walk close to a building if possible (or close to store fronts in a mall) with your purse on your arm
between you and the wall (or storefront). Or, if you're with a companion, keep your purse between
you and the other person. - Don't buy purses that have open compartments, but instead buy one that closes – zippered
compartments are the safest. - Clutch your handbag close to your body on escalators, elevators and in crowded places.
Remember, if a thief snatches your purse and runs you can always yell loudly to attract attention (and
perhaps get help from someone nearby). Pepper spray and like items aren't very practical to stop a purse
snatcher unless you have your finger on the button ready to fire the moment he grabs for your purse. He
(or she) is going to be running and you won't have time to use the spray.
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| Careless Moves Put Older Women at Risk for Crime |
January 19, 2012
What Careless Actions Put a Woman at Risk for Crime?
When you're not paying attention to your surroundings, you become a sitting duck
for criminals. Take, for example, the woman who is about to put groceries into her
car trunk. She hooks the cane she uses onto the cart handle. She then puts her
purse in the grocery cart child seat. She was offered carryout help in the store, but
she didn't want to be a bother to anyone. She begins to load the grocery bags into
her car.
This woman has made two big mistakes that could easily get her purse snatched:
A similar incident involves mothers who leave their purses in the cart while they
buckle their child into a car seat. Better yet, how about the woman who chats away
on a cell phone while she's engaged in shopping, walking or doing whatever. She's
not aware of anything around her or anybody who might be watching and waiting for
the perfect moment to grab her purse.
And another thing—one of my favorites: Women (of any age) who leave their
purses in the grocery cart while they step away to search for an item on the
shelves! Time and time again I see women leave OPEN purses (with coupons, wallet
and grocery card in full view) in their grocery cart while they conduct a search.
Whatever happened to common sense?
What other mistakes put a woman at risk for crime in public?
When you're not paying attention to your surroundings, you become a sitting duck
for criminals. Take, for example, the woman who is about to put groceries into her
car trunk. She hooks the cane she uses onto the cart handle. She then puts her
purse in the grocery cart child seat. She was offered carryout help in the store, but
she didn't want to be a bother to anyone. She begins to load the grocery bags into
her car.
This woman has made two big mistakes that could easily get her purse snatched:
- She refused store help to carry out and load her groceries into her car.
- She put her purse in an unsafe place where any thief watching could easily
snatch it and run.
A similar incident involves mothers who leave their purses in the cart while they
buckle their child into a car seat. Better yet, how about the woman who chats away
on a cell phone while she's engaged in shopping, walking or doing whatever. She's
not aware of anything around her or anybody who might be watching and waiting for
the perfect moment to grab her purse.
And another thing—one of my favorites: Women (of any age) who leave their
purses in the grocery cart while they step away to search for an item on the
shelves! Time and time again I see women leave OPEN purses (with coupons, wallet
and grocery card in full view) in their grocery cart while they conduct a search.
Whatever happened to common sense?
What other mistakes put a woman at risk for crime in public?
- Leaving your purse on the car seat while you run inside the convenience
store to grab coffee (or whatever). - Allowing a cashier to enter credit card information, including your PIN number.
- Hooking your purse onto your wheelchair push handle. (Or a caregiver
hooking her own purse in the same way. - Putting your purse on top of your car while you load a child into a car seat.
- Refusing to use handicapped parking placards when you're disabled
(temporary or permanent.) The longer it takes you to get in and out of your
car, the more time a thief has to attack. If you're parked far away from the
storefront, the thief has an even greater advantage. - Being unaware of crowds and the increased risk of losing your purse or
having your wallet lifted.
When a Stranger Offers Help
Be wary of anyone who suddenly appears out of nowhere wanting to help (unload a wheelchair from the trunk,
load shopping bags and so forth). Thieves target victims who look and act vulnerable. Politely refuse an offer for
help when it's not needed. If the person insists on helping, then very loudly protest to draw attention from other
people in the area. Don't be afraid to yell for help if you feel threatened.
Once, while I was loading a folded manual wheelchair into the back of my van, a man passing by suddenly darted
over and grabbed the chair from me. While my purse was well out of his reach, he still startled me. I was having
no trouble whatsoever with the light-frame chair, but that didn't matter to him. Of course he was only being a
gentlemen and I thanked him for his help. The point I want to emphasize is how fast it all happened.
Be wary of anyone who suddenly appears out of nowhere wanting to help (unload a wheelchair from the trunk,
load shopping bags and so forth). Thieves target victims who look and act vulnerable. Politely refuse an offer for
help when it's not needed. If the person insists on helping, then very loudly protest to draw attention from other
people in the area. Don't be afraid to yell for help if you feel threatened.
Once, while I was loading a folded manual wheelchair into the back of my van, a man passing by suddenly darted
over and grabbed the chair from me. While my purse was well out of his reach, he still startled me. I was having
no trouble whatsoever with the light-frame chair, but that didn't matter to him. Of course he was only being a
gentlemen and I thanked him for his help. The point I want to emphasize is how fast it all happened.
Other Situations When Women in Public Put Themselves at Risk for
Crime
Checkout registers are prime targets for thieves. Watch out for strangers
standing too close. Older people may take longer to enter a PIN number,
making it easy for the casual observer to see. Use your free hand to shield the
keypad when entering numbers.
Crime
Checkout registers are prime targets for thieves. Watch out for strangers
standing too close. Older people may take longer to enter a PIN number,
making it easy for the casual observer to see. Use your free hand to shield the
keypad when entering numbers.
- Never leave your purse in a dressing room. Never leave it unattended in
a baby stroller. It only takes a moment for a thief to strike. - Refrain from withdrawing large amounts of cash from an ATM; you
never know who's looking to see how many bills you have. Always put
bills and receipt into your purse right away. If an ATM machine looks as
though it's been tampered with, then find another one. - Take a trusted friend or family member along on a shopping trip if you
can't swipe a card, use an ATM or take cash from your wallet because
of age or disability. It isn't safe to let a clerk enter a PIN number or
rummage through a wallet to find the correct bills. As one who's worked
extensively with people who have disabilities, I see this happen quite a
lot. - Small mistakes—wearing music headphones, texting or fumbling for
keys in a parking lot—can put a woman at risk for crime.
Anyone can be a victim, but elderly persons, women with disabilities and even female caregivers are
particularly vulnerable to public crimes. Use caution in every situation; be constantly aware of what's
around you and take precautions to stay safe.
Use whatever help is available to stay safe whether it's a security guard escort to your car, a store
employee taking out your groceries or even a wheelchair placard. A few small changes can thwart a
crime and stop a criminal who doesn't want to risk getting caught.
particularly vulnerable to public crimes. Use caution in every situation; be constantly aware of what's
around you and take precautions to stay safe.
Use whatever help is available to stay safe whether it's a security guard escort to your car, a store
employee taking out your groceries or even a wheelchair placard. A few small changes can thwart a
crime and stop a criminal who doesn't want to risk getting caught.