Personal Safety Lunchbox Seminar 12 May 2010

1. Personal Safety Lunchbox Seminar 12 May 2010

2. Purpose To equip you with practical strategies to maximise your safety and enhance your wellbeing.

3. Topics • Common trends of personal violence • Core concepts of personal safety • Dealing with confrontation • Safety strategies for different environments

4. Common Trends of Personal Violence Victims: • Most likely victim category? • Risk increases/decreases with age? Offenders: • Most likely offender category? • Mostly known or unknown to victim?

5. Common Trends: Women and Men Women: • More likely to be physically or sexually assaulted by a known male. • The home is the most common location. • Women are often physically or sexually assaulted by a drug or alcohol affected perpetrator. Men: • Most often physically assaulted by an unknown male. • The most common locations are in the open and at licensed premises. • The majority of physical assaults are alcohol or drug related and almost half involving more than one offender. ABS 2007: Australian Social Trends: Interpersonal Violence.

6. Core Concepts of Personal Safety • Right to safety • Keeping violence in perspective • Commitment • Confidence • Body language • Awareness of surroundings • Trusting and acting on instincts • Assertiveness • Networks • Personal Safety Plan

7. Dealing with Confrontation There are no all-purpose strategies to preserve our personal safety in all situations. Do whatever you believe will best preserve your safety. Factors to consider: • yourstrengths • environmental factors • the perceived motivation/s of those who may be threatening our safety

8. Actions • Escape • Physical self defence • Surrender money/property • Scream • Calling for assistance • Negotiate • Create a diversion • Whatever the attacker tells you to • Whatever will best preserve your safety

9. Three Reasons to Scream • Adrenaline Rush- converts fear to anger, enables defender to move faster, think quicker, strength is multiplied • Shock attacker- attacker is not expecting victim to turn into aggressor + self defence strikes impact more severely 3. To draw attention to the situation

10. Areas of Vulnerability Primary Targets: • Eyes • Throat 3. Groin Secondary Targets: • nose, kneecaps, ears, head/face

11. Options to Physical Self Defence • Yell out to a fictitious person • Verbal response - negotiate with attacker • Fake medical conditions e.g. AIDS/Hepatitis • Fake asthma/heart attack, epileptic fit, faint, mental illness • Be revolting - throw up, defecate/urinate • Act compliant and wait for an opportunity to escape • Anything else that you can think of to stop the attack or create an opportunity to escape.

12. In the home In the workplace Out and about On public transport In the social scene In the car Situational Safety Strategies

13. Safety in the Home • Basic security precautions • Intruders • Confrontations by a known person • Callers to the front door or telephone • Internet safety

14. Safety in the Workplace • General strategies • Working early or late • Workplace harassment

15. Safety Out and About • Carrying bags or valuables • Talking to strangers • ATMs • Walking or jogging alone • Being followed

16. Safety on Public Transport • General safety options • Harassment • Buses • Citytrains • Taxis

17. Safety in the Social Scene • Tips for safer drinking • Spiked drinks • Drugs • Confrontations

18. Safety in the Car • Maintenance and resources • Parking • Driving • Being followed • Breakdown • Dealing with aggressive motorists • Assisting others

19. Purpose Revisited To equip you with practical strategies to maximise your safety and enhance your wellbeing.

20. Questions??