Women Who Live Alone Are Sharing The Safety Tips They Swear By, And It's So, So Important

Yahoo

a day ago

Violence against women is a critical issue around the world, and it's a sad reality that we have to take extra measures to keep ourselves safe, even in the comfort of our own homes.
A while back, we wrote a post where women who live alone shared the safety tips that every woman should know, and their advice was invaluable. In the comments, even more women rallied together to share the precautions and safety hacks they follow. Here's what they had to say:
1."I heard somewhere you should always have a big, heavy pair of work boots outside your door to make creeps think a guy lives there."
—kittylane276
"I always keep a pair of men's boots outside my door."
—islandmiss
Related:
2."Becoming friendly with neighbors is a big one. I live alone, but I know I have several neighbors I can knock on the door if necessary. And several are within earshot. Look into how approachable your apartment is as well. I live in a sort of gated (the gate is never shut) community with a windy drive. Getting in and out isn't easy."
—emilyl4fc46ac80
3."When I lived alone, any time I had food delivered, I'd always call, 'Food's here!' over my shoulder to my fictional boyfriend/housemate as I accepted the delivery, so it would never seem like I lived alone."
—eleanorh44bb646f7
4."Bear spray by the door is useful. Buy a timer for your lights — they sell some with a phone app, so you can turn them on and off even if you're out of town."
—dancer4eva2014
Related:
5."NEVER live on the first floor or give your full name for the buzzer (if needed): your first initial and last name (or part of your last name) will suffice."
—dancer4eva2014
6."Regularly call your mom or someone super close to you, so it will be noticeable if you're missing."
—dancer4eva2014
7."Check your mail in irregular patterns."
—dancer4eva2014
8."Get a dog. Just the barking of a dog alone will scare off plenty of criminals. This has been proven."
—whytetigress13
"The best protection, in my opinion, is having a mean dog. He's such a sweet boy to me, but to anyone who is not in his small circle (five people), he's terrifying. And I love it. Deters most people from even wanting to come over. I also put a set of like Christmas sleigh bells on the handle of my back door so they jingle every time it's turned. If I don't hear it, my dog will."
—emmybburg
Related:
9."Get a door alarm. I recently had an ex show up and walk into my house at 3:45 a.m. The door alarm is such a comfort for me now."
—desireedallas
10."Check your car's backseat and trunk if you're going to drive at night. You never know who or what might be waiting for you."
—petalt0themedal
11."Do NOT answer the door if you're not expecting anybody."
—f4bul0u5
12."I always put two names (first initial, last name) on my apartment mailbox."
—smogmonster
13."I keep an old softball bat and pepper spray by my bedside table and back door. I don't answer my front door. I have a handgun, but I don't like it. Any time I'm with friends who are shooting, I pick up a few spent casings and leave them on my porch."
—eerie_e
Related:
14."I'm hoping to get a motion sensor to put at the end of my driveway to let me know anytime someone pulls in (I live in the country). Always turn my porch light on when I leave, no matter when I expect to return."
—eerie_e
And finally...
15."I'm glad I have a Ring camera (especially while I'm living alone while my fiancé is deployed) because some guy who looked drunk or on drugs was pounding on my door in the middle of the night and reading my mail that was stuck in the mail slot."
"Fortunately, I was out of town that weekend, but it was super freaky to see, and I would've been really scared had I been there that night."
—arya_ravenclaw
Fellow women who live alone, what other safety tips and precautions do you follow? Tell us in the comments, or if you prefer to remain anonymous, you can use the form below.
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