7 Step Guide to Staying Safe on Dark Nights

Many people tell us that walking alone at night is something that worries them - and justifiably so. With fewer people around, the dark nights give cover to criminals and predators, decrease our visibility and even familiar routes look different. Whilst avoiding going out alone on dark nights would be preferable, this isn’t an option for many people who need to commute to and from work. So, what can you do to stay safer on dark nights? Take a look at our 7 step guide to dark night safety.

SURVEY ON DARK NIGHT SAFETY

We asked 100 people about their views on dark night safety. People answered from across the UK of all ages and genders.

This is is what they told us:

• 71% of people felt 'not safe' or 'not at all safe' out on their own in the dark

• 6% of people said they would never go out on their own at night as they were too scared

• 69% of people try their best to avoid going out on their own at night

• 23% of people said going out in the dark didn't bother them

Comments included:

"I and other female friends will not go for walks unaccompanied. This issue is not being taken seriously enough by politicians and police"

"Poorly lit car parks are the worst or people who don’t realise they are walking really close immediately behind you"

"I'm 5 ft 3" an attack on myself would more than likely be someone taller and stronger than me. I live inner city so I avoid being out alone in the dark when I can”

"It is a difficult judgement to make. On one hand, I try not to go out alone late at night because I am more vulnerable to an attack. On the other hand, I don't like to limit my life by being overly anxious. Often I have no choice if I want to go somewhere at night - I have to walk because I don't drive. So deciding not to walk alone at night often means deciding not to go out at all."

Here's the thing, we can't live in fear as prisoners in our own homes because we are too scared to go out at night.

But on the other hand, there are threats out there and the darkness gives cover and opportunity to criminals and predators. We know this as fact from statistics and accounts of people who have been attacked.

So what's the answer?

As with most things in life, it's all about balance.

1. Let's acknowledge the facts - yes there are elements of society who prey on victims at night.

   To say that it is completely safe out there is, in our view, burying your head in the sand and hiding from reality.

2. When you do go out at night on your own, make sure you have prepared yourself to be as safe as possible.

   The chances of being attacked by a stranger are small (but real) and some simple tips and knowledge can help you avoid becoming a victim.

Want to know the tips for how to stay safer on dark nights?

Here we go …

1. Plan ahead

“If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail!”

You may have heard this quote before and it 100% applies to your personal safety. You must put some time and thought into where you are going, what time it will be, whether it will be dark etc.

We suggest that people play the ‘What if …?’ game. Ask yourself,

• What if my train is late?

• What if I think someone is following me?

• What if my car breaks down? etc.

Having answers to these questions means you have a good plan in place and can react quickly and positively if it happens.

Always think ahead and plan your journey:

1. Know your route

2. Have a plan B

3. Don’t take the secluded shortcut!

Much of this stuff is common sense but you’d be surprised how many people tell us they’ve been attacked after doing something they just knew felt wrong.

Like taking the shortcut across a dimly lit park at night - one person who attended our training said they did this and were mugged by a gang. Then they did it a second time, thinking it probably wouldn’t happen again, and it did!

Hopefully, after learning more on the training, they won’t take unnecessary risks again.

If you don’t know the area you are travelling to, research whether there are any crime hotspots. Here is a website for doing this in the UK:

www.adt.co.uk/crime-in-my-area

2. Be Prepared

This motto of thousands of scouts and girl guides has it spot on! ‘Be Prepared!’ If you are travelling alone at night make sure you have everything prepared and ready, including:

1. A fully charged mobile

2. Panic App on your phone

   Check out Life 360 - this allows your chosen circle of family or friends to track where you are, receive notifications, and you can even use the panic button to contact people in an emergency.

   NB. A Panic App is good to have but don’t rely on it. Your phone may not work or the people you contact may not have their phones on.

3. A list of emergency numbers on paper in your pocket

   Just in case your phone is lost, the battery goes dead or is stolen. Do you know anyone’s number by heart? Most people don’t, so how would you call for help?

4. Put a personal attack alarm on your bag or in your pocket

   Test that it works and have it somewhere you can easily set it off. I.e. not in the bottom of your bag!

   NB. A personal alarm is great to have but again, don’t rely on it. It might not work when activated, people might not come when they hear it and in some cases, you might not get chance to activate it.

5. Wear appropriate clothing

   Think about your footwear - could you run in it to get away? Perhaps you need to take a change of shoes with you. What is the weather like? Do you need a coat or umbrella? Or will you end up sheltering somewhere you don’t want to be as it is raining? Will you be seen by cars? Think about something with reflective strips on.

6. Take a small, powerful torch in your pocket

   Hopefully, the routes you choose will be well-lit but this isn’t always the case.

   Having a torch will not only help you avoid tripping up but it gives you a few extra seconds warning if someone is coming or hiding.

   A powerful torch which lights up the street (such as a Maglite) also makes you look prepared and confident, which is often a turn-off to a criminal looking for an easy target.

   Although your phone has a torch, we prefer a proper torch. Walking along with your phone out is an invitation to a thief to snatch it.

There are approximately 10,000 mobile phone snatchings in London every month.

Don’t be one of them! Avoid advertising your phone and making it easy for thieves.

3. BE PRESENT

Next time you are out and about, take a look at how many people are walking along in their own world completely oblivious to what is happening around them. Are you one of them?

This is a huge part of staying safe!

Being present and switched on to your environment and the people around you is key to self defence and to noticing if anyone is watching or following you.

• Take your headphones out

• Put your phone away

• Stop daydreaming, planning and thinking about what happened at work

• Focus on your surroundings and the people around you.

By looking around and tuning in, you are making yourself a more undesirable target to a predator who wants to catch someone unaware.

4. KEEP IN CONTACT

Does a friend or family member know where you are and when you are expected back?

If you’ve been out with friends, check in on each other to make sure everyone gets home safely.

Have a plan in place for what to do if you haven’t heard from your friend that they’re home safe. Do you have their partner or family’s contact details?

If you feel threatened or nervous, call someone you trust from a safe place.

5. TRUST YOUR GUT INSTINCT

This is one of the first things we teach in our self defence training as it is critical to avoiding danger.

Us humans have an awesome built-in warning alarm - our gut instinct!

But so many of us switch it off or don’t listen to it due to social conditioning or fear of upsetting someone.

• Don’t ignore your gut instinct!

• Listen to what your body is telling you

• You know when something isn’t quite right

• You know when there is ‘something off’ about a person

• You know when there is a bad vibe about a place

When your body tells you something is wrong, act on it and get away.

This could mean taking pre-emptive action when you sense someone is following you such as:

• Changing direction

• Crossing the road

• Running away

• Activating a personal alarm

• Calling for help or for a taxi

• Going into a cafe, shop or safe space

• Knocking on someone’s door

• Flagging down a car.

Obviously, you don’t want to get into a car with a stranger or go into someone’s house, but getting involvement from other people gives safety in numbers and you then have the opportunity to ask if you can wait with them until help arrives. And, getting other people involved might well deter the opportunist or criminal.

6. BE STREETWISE

Sometimes the small things can make the difference in whether someone selects you as their victim. Ensuring you are streetwise makes you a harder target.

1. Walk confidently

2. Keep your head up, make brief eye contact with people

   This is not confrontational eye contact, but rather a quick glance to let them know you’ve seen them.

3. Walk in the direction of oncoming traffic

   So cars can’t pull up behind you without you knowing.

   Think about the route in front of you - could someone be hiding? Is there enough space between you and any alleyways or parked vehicles.

   There may be occasions when you need to walk in the road to avoid squeezing between a van and a hedge, for example.

4. Keep your hands free

   Don’t carry lots of bags. You may need your hands to defend yourself.

   If you have no other option than to carry bags, be aware that they could be the target for a thief. Be prepared to let them go - they’re not worth fighting over.

   Or if someone is attacking you for other reasons, such as a sexual assault, be ready to drop your bags so you can respond physically or run away faster.

5. Hide valuables such as phones, watches, jewellery etc.

   If you have a journey to make at night and you don’t know the area, perhaps that isn’t the time to wear your designer handbag and expensive shoes.

6. Have your keys ready before you get to your car or front door

   Messing around in your bag gives the perpetrator an opportunity where you are distracted.

   Having your torch ready at this point means you aren’t fumbling around in the dark and can check if someone is hiding near your doorway.

7. Stay in public, well-lit areas if possible

7. LEARN SELF DEFENCE

How much time and resources have you spent on keeping yourself safe?

Probably not a lot.

It’s so easy to put our focus on the fun things in life, spending thousands on holidays, days out, restaurants, clothes, homes, jewellery etc.

However, when it comes to safety many people prefer to ‘hope for the best’ or think ‘it won’t happen to me’. Some people even think ‘what’s the point?’ ‘what can I do?’ ‘I’m not strong enough’.

But that’s not an effective strategy for staying safe.

And, believe us (we know), recovering from the trauma of an attack is all-encompassing and life-changing.

So many people come to us after an attack to learn self defence as it’s only then that they realise what an important life skill it is.

If you’re reading this now and you don’t know how to defend yourself physically, take action!

Self defence is a skill that everyone should have

We have online video courses starting from £24 where you can learn the basics of self defence in under an hour. Is your safety worth that investment?

If you want more in-depth self defence classes, we have 4 hour online courses or you can book a private self defence workshop for your business, school, community group or family.

HOW TO STAY SAFE ON DARK NIGHTS

Remember, to stay safe in the dark your goals are to:

1. Minimize risks

2. Be prepared for any unexpected situations

3. Make yourself a difficult target

4. Be ready to take action to get home safely.

We hope our guide to dark night safety has been helpful and has given you plenty to think about. Please share it with family and friends who could also benefit from this advice.

Don’t forget to check out our online training and other blogs with safety tips. And, you can join our email newsletter to get our updates direct to your inbox.