Safety - Frightening a Burglar or Attacker

One of those viral e-mails suggests you keep your car keys with you at all times, to use the panic button in cases of someone breaking into your house or someone attacking you.

While the car alarm you set off may deter the burglar or attacker, it may also annoy your neighbors, who tend to ignore car alarms.

So while I may use the panic button during a personal attack, I would not assume the noise of a car alarm guarantees the attacker will back off. Be ready with other strategies. Another viral e-mail suggests keeping a can of wasp spray to use against attackers, but that may be illegal. If you happen to have a can of wasp spray, then use it! Carrying around wasp or pepper sprays, or any type of weapon, is NOT widely encouraged, because the attacker can grab the weapon and use it against you!

The number one thing to do when attacked is to run and scream. If you can't run, try an elbow or knee to the solar plexus (belly button area to knock the breath out of the attacker) or try a knee or kick to the groin (if the attacker is male). And scream! If the attacker pulls out a gun and you haven't been trained to disarm him, perhaps being passive will lessen injury, but that is not guaranteed. Now, I am talking about a physical attack. If he just wants your money, then perhaps you could throw your wallet in one direction, then run in the other direction and scream.

As for burglars, turning on a light may deter him as much as a car or house alarm going off. I've accidently set off my house alarm, and I don't think any neighbor would respond. And many of you do not even have car or house alarms!

Other deterrents:
1) Lock your doors and windows (duh!).
2) Secure outdoor furniture and try to put away tools, etc. Don't leave a shovel out to help a burglar break your window.
3) If you can't afford a security alarm system, maybe you can get the sign or decal to put up.
4) In the same vein, put up a security camera (even if it doesn't work!).
5) Plant spikey, prickly plants under windows.
6) Own a dog! Or put up a "Beware of Dog" sign!

And pray that you do not become a statistic.