7 Safety Tips for Women Who Live Alone

These safety tips are meant to make you feel safer and secure in your daily life.

 

CAR AND OTHER ALARMS

One of the least known safety tips for women living alone is that you may very well have a security alarm in your possession that you do not even use. If you have a key fob to unlock your car doors, keep your keys close to your bed when you sleep. When you hit the panic button the alarm will sound and scare any intruder away. Should your unwanted guest be especially determined, the loud and obnoxious sound will certainly draw others outside out of annoyance, at which time you can yell for help.

 

When you are away from your car like on a walk, you should be carrying an alarm that will startle the attacker and draw attention from others. Check out Zarc’s personal alarm here: Vexor Spray Gaurd and Alarm

 

BAR IN SLIDING GLASS DOOR

If you have a deck or patio with a sliding glass door, this can be a worry for you; at least it is for me. Find a metal pole, mop handle or similar item and wedge it into the track of the door. No matter how hard someone jostles and pulls at the door there is no way they will get it open, and breaking the glass causes a lot of unwanted noise and attention. If someone is looking for a quick, quiet entry, the immovable door will deter them.

 

LOCKS

Perhaps one of the most obvious security implements may be one of the least thoughts about devices. I have learned through terrible experiences that if you move into a new home, you need to change the locks. You never know how many copies of the key the former tenants or home owners may have made or when they might unexpectedly show up, drunk, in the middle of the night thinking they still live there. Yes, that really happened to me. The property owner should pay for this re-keying or lock replacement for you, but even if they do not, it is worth the minimal cost to do it yourself. If you bought the home, it should be the first thing you do after moving in. You can get a new lock at any hardware store and they are reasonably easy to install yourself. Just make sure your property owner has a spare key if it is required where you live.

 

Social Media Updates

If you live alone, do not advertise it on your social media networks. Do not post Facebook updates indicating that you live by yourself. Even if your security settings are strict and you think everything is kept just between friends, systems do experience glitches. People may forget to sign out of their account and others may see your information. It sounds ridiculous but it has happened. Do not post any information about your schedule such as "Working 10-8 today, going to be a long day!" Any information that allows people to know where you will be at any specific time gives them an opportunity to enter your residence when they know you will not be there. It may seem unfair that you must stop yourself from checking in on Foursquare or Facebook just because you live alone, but your safety and privacy are more important than your friends being able to locate you. If they need to know where you are, they know your number.

 

FAKE-OUT

 

A wonderful way to discourage intruders is to make them believe you are not alone. Prowlers tend to see single women as easy prey. There are several things you can do to make them unsure about the occupancy of the apartment or home you are living in. First, never put your first name on your mailbox. Your first initial and last name leaves the gender of the resident ambiguous. If you have a front porch or walkway, stick an old pair of men’s boots by your door. You can pick some up for a few dollars at a local consignment shop. It may seem silly, but someone looking for an easy target would think twice if they thought there might be a big burly man inside.

 

HAVE A WEAPON

It is important to have some means of protecting yourself should you encounter a problem. Always keep pepper spray next to your bed, it may seem paranoid, but if should you ever need it, it is there. Pepper spray allows you to incapacitate your attacker without physically interacting with them or needing to get close enough for them to be able to touch you. Check out our home defense products here: Vexor Ultra Guard Home Defense

 

BE CAREFUL

Use common sense. Keep your doors locked when you are home as well as when you are not. Do not invite strangers into your home. Be aware of your environment when you are walking between your car and your front door. Have your keys in your hand and ready, do not stand at the door and fumble with them. Do whatever you need to do to make yourself feel secure.

I hope that following these safety tips for women living alone allows you to have some peace of mind. It is important to feel protected and safe in your own home without the fear of someone hurting you or your belongings.

 

Stay Safe!