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Who knew that supposedly innocent flirting on the internet could lead to assault, stalking or even murder? While not a prevalent problem, many women have been targeted by criminals simply because of their presence on the internet, whether it is through a personal web page, message board or online chat rooms. There are plenty of things you can do to protect yourself in cyberspace and still stay relatively anonymous. These days, hi-tech crime is climbing fast and you do not want to become another statistic.
Womens Self Defense Guide
1. Your first line of defense would be to use a free email account for all your correspondence and activities when chatting online, through instant messengers or corresponding with someone you have never met but perhaps hope to meet at some point. A free email account is anonymous and cannot really be traced back to you. Reserve your personal or work emails for only specific types of business.
2. When visiting new websites for dating, chatting with friends or networking, always check their privacy policies. Some will plainly state that they sell your email or IP address to internet marketers. There are several globally recognized certified seals of approval when it comes to privacy protection of your information so look for these particular ones before signing onto the website: CPA WebTrust, BBBOnline, ePublicEye or TRUSTe.
3. If you plan to purchase a membership to a website or even purchase anything online, you need to check for the website's security measures before entering even one digit of credit card or bank account payment information. Look in the address line of your web browser to check for the closed padlock symbol which represents a secure site or even the "https" in the beginning of the URL address line.
4. Sort through your cookie files frequently and delete everything but what is stored for the websites you use with regularity. If necessary, you can change the filters in your web browser to alert you each and every time a website wants to store a cookie on your computer.
5. Invest in some personal firewall software which will help prevent hackers from getting into your computer or even hijacking your high speed internet connection. There are different kinds of firewall protection that can be purchased or downloaded for free so you must compare the different types to find what best suits your needs.
6. Check the specifications of your web browser. You want it to have at least 128-bit encryption for the latest in internet protection.
7. Change the parameters in your instant messaging software to accept only people who you have invited onto your buddy list with an invitation. This way you can screen the people you do not wish to correspond with online.
8. When you do not feel comfortable with some of the information a website asks for in a membership form, do not do it. There are certain pieces of information like your social security number and your driver's license number that are not needed. And if you do not want to share any phone numbers or emails, do not do it.
9. Do not sign up for any email alerts or newsletters unless you really and truly plan to read them. When your email box starts getting spammed, you will be tempted to click on the link within these emails that say "unsubscribe." Unfortunately, when you do that, your email get sold and you get even more spam.
Womens Self Defense Guide
Basically, the bottom line when protecting yourself on line is this: do not share personal information period. It is quite easy for stalkers to lurk in chat rooms and glean information about your life and log it in a diary. They will continue to collect facts until they have enough to hunt you down. It's a scary world out there and unfortunately you have to act as if something will happen to you in order to prevent that very thing from happening.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Employing a Few Streets Smarts Can Save your Life
Are you street smart? Do you know enough to keep out of harm's way when traveling the streets of your city or town? Many women think they have enough common sense to stay safe but life breeds complacency and you let your guard down after a while and then you just might find yourself in trouble. There is potential danger lurking everywhere from cities with millions of people to even your typical small hometown of 500 people. You simply do not know when or if you will ever be in the need to employ any self defense tactics to escape harm.
There are plenty of tactics you can employ to protect you from harm before the need to even physically defend yourself. While these tactics may seem simple, there is a reason why they are repeated time and time again – it is that complacency issue. Here are a few things you can do to maintain your safe existence:
Womens Self Defense Guide
1. Check all your locks on the doors and windows before leaving home, including ensuring your garage door actually closes and stays closed. Also make sure that you do not leave any windows open during your absence. You do not want an undesirable visitor waiting for you when you get home.
2. Trim the bushes and trees around your home and install security lights as needed. Bushes cast shadows and can be the perfect place for criminals to hide until they are ready to strike. Even better, plant spiky or thorny bushes near all of your windows to deter criminals from gaining entrance into your home this way.
3. When traveling away from home, always park in well-lit areas. It is very hard for someone to hide around your car if it is light up as they will cast an easily detectable shadow.
4. During shopping expeditions or just walking in public, be sure to not carry many valuables in your purse. Leave your checkbook and most of your credit cards at home and carry only a few dollars in your purse. Should it become stolen, you will have lost very little and would not have to go to the trouble of canceling credit cards and bank accounts. It is best to carry the important things like cash, credit cards and drivers license on your person, concealed where it is not readily noticeable.
5. Carry a simple whistle with you either around your neck or on a key chain. If you feel the least bit threatened, whether it is a suspicious character loitering near your car or you believe you are followed, blow the whistle and create a lot of noise. Potential assailants do not like to call attention to them and are likely to slink away rather than approach you.
6. If you carry any self defense devices, do not treat them like accessories. Learn how to use them and practice whipping them out of your purse or key chain. A self defense device like pepper spray, a kuboton or stun gun does not help you if you cannot access it or use it properly.
7. Always tell someone where you are going and check in periodically. That way, if something should happen, your loved ones will know where to start looking for you. Yes, this sounds scary but it can be quite helpful in finding you as well as the perpetrator who hurts you.
8. Maintain your distance from anyone seeking directions, especially if they approach you in a vehicle. Stay several arm lengths away and do not gesture or turn to indicate a direction as this will distract you, giving a potential attacker time to get to you.
Womens Self Defense Guide
Many more ideas on how to stay safe exist. One day, truly focus in on safety measures and how to avoid being a victim. Identify problem areas in places you frequent whether it is the parking garage at work or the grocery store. Being cognizant of potential dangers in the very places you are comfortable with is quite an eye opener. It will make you think twice each time you leave home.
There are plenty of tactics you can employ to protect you from harm before the need to even physically defend yourself. While these tactics may seem simple, there is a reason why they are repeated time and time again – it is that complacency issue. Here are a few things you can do to maintain your safe existence:
Womens Self Defense Guide
1. Check all your locks on the doors and windows before leaving home, including ensuring your garage door actually closes and stays closed. Also make sure that you do not leave any windows open during your absence. You do not want an undesirable visitor waiting for you when you get home.
2. Trim the bushes and trees around your home and install security lights as needed. Bushes cast shadows and can be the perfect place for criminals to hide until they are ready to strike. Even better, plant spiky or thorny bushes near all of your windows to deter criminals from gaining entrance into your home this way.
3. When traveling away from home, always park in well-lit areas. It is very hard for someone to hide around your car if it is light up as they will cast an easily detectable shadow.
4. During shopping expeditions or just walking in public, be sure to not carry many valuables in your purse. Leave your checkbook and most of your credit cards at home and carry only a few dollars in your purse. Should it become stolen, you will have lost very little and would not have to go to the trouble of canceling credit cards and bank accounts. It is best to carry the important things like cash, credit cards and drivers license on your person, concealed where it is not readily noticeable.
5. Carry a simple whistle with you either around your neck or on a key chain. If you feel the least bit threatened, whether it is a suspicious character loitering near your car or you believe you are followed, blow the whistle and create a lot of noise. Potential assailants do not like to call attention to them and are likely to slink away rather than approach you.
6. If you carry any self defense devices, do not treat them like accessories. Learn how to use them and practice whipping them out of your purse or key chain. A self defense device like pepper spray, a kuboton or stun gun does not help you if you cannot access it or use it properly.
7. Always tell someone where you are going and check in periodically. That way, if something should happen, your loved ones will know where to start looking for you. Yes, this sounds scary but it can be quite helpful in finding you as well as the perpetrator who hurts you.
8. Maintain your distance from anyone seeking directions, especially if they approach you in a vehicle. Stay several arm lengths away and do not gesture or turn to indicate a direction as this will distract you, giving a potential attacker time to get to you.
Womens Self Defense Guide
Many more ideas on how to stay safe exist. One day, truly focus in on safety measures and how to avoid being a victim. Identify problem areas in places you frequent whether it is the parking garage at work or the grocery store. Being cognizant of potential dangers in the very places you are comfortable with is quite an eye opener. It will make you think twice each time you leave home.
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