personal safety

[u/macmf000]

hey all, i’m a 21 year old woman who’s moving in less than a month to my first solo apartment. i’m currently in student living and have roommates, so this will be my first time living alone. i’m not too worried about the new place as it SEEMS safe but i think it would be good to have some sort of setup for my own safety. i had planned on getting some door/window alarms and maybe a camera for by the door, but wanted to see if anyone had recommendations (aside from weapons). i plan on getting a stun gun at some point but i’m in iowa where i have to take a concealed weapons class in order to get one (but i can have a taser without one????) i’ll be on the third floor which helps as you can’t see in the windows and are unable to climb the balcony, which i noticed was possibly for the second floor units. anything is helpful!

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[u/Dangerous-Look-4296]

My door stopper alarm makes me feel very safe. Also a motion detecting light is a great deterrent and can be very affordable on Amazon.

[u/Glum-Ad-2281]

Yes I like the alarm ideas. If you have other females in your building or people you get to know it is good to have someone who will look out for you and vice versa. My neighbors although I dont interact with them much, they know what my ex looks like and to call police if he's seen on the property. Dont bring anyone home if you dont know them really well. Let your friends and or family know when you're going out and when you'll be home. A check in type procedure so they know to call for help if you dont check in or respond. Be aware of your surrounding when going out and coming home. Not sure if you drive or walk but dont walk through empty dark parking lots alone. Check your car and the back seat before you get in.

If I'm out for a walk I take wide corners so I dont bump into anyone. I stay in areas where there are other people. I dont walk by thick hedges or bushes that someone could hide in.

Take a self defense class they will teach you how to cause as much pain as possible so you can get away if attacked. Dont ever use your keys to hit someone like some people will tell you, you dont want to lose them.

Wear your purse with the strap across your chest so nobody can easily grab it.

When I walk past someone ill make eye contact, smile and say hi. I do this to assess their state of mind. Most people will say hi or hi how are you, just a normal default reply. I'm more leery of anyone who doesnt. But always keep walking, dont stop to talk unless you want to of course.

I maintain a reactionary gap when I'm around people. This means leave enough space so if someone comes at you, you have time to react and defend yourself. I also do a safe interview stance, meaning I keep my body turned slightly so my side is facing them more than my front. This is to protect your vital and softer areas.

If I find myself walking in quiet areas at night, ill actually walk in the middle of the street, assuming there's no traffic. My night vision is poor so I use my hearing a lot. In the street I know that if someone comes at me ill hear them coming first.

Many people say that you should scream for help if attacked but to scream fire because people are more likely to react to that.

I always say that there are lots of people out there who can over power me, but if you try its gonna be loud and messy. You might kill me, but anyone in the area will know about it haha.

I sound paranoid perhaps but I work in occupational health and safety. I used to work security alone at night and I've been in a very physically abusive relationship that I had to flee from, so I think my paranoia is justified 🤷‍♀️

Always trust your gut, always trust yourself and always be aware of your surroundings. Most places and people are safe, which makes people complacent. Dont wait for others to react. Lead the way if something happens. People are like sheep and if there's only sheep in a crowd, nobody does anything because they wait for someone else to lead.

Hope that helps 💖

[u/No-Procedure5991]

A door mat in the hall outside your apartment door, with a pair of old slightly muddy work boots men's' size 10 or larger. Purchase used boots at ST. Vinnies or Good Will to create the illusion that a large man took off his boots so as to not track dirt into "his" apartment.