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Safety on the Streets:
A Guide for Teens
You may be experiencing a new kind of freedom in your teenage years.
Your family may give you more responsibilities and the chance to
spend more time with your friends. This extra time with your friends
may put you in new or different social situations and new neighborhoods.
With your parents not around as much, you now have the important
job of making more decisions for yourself and keeping yourself safe
while you are having fun. If you forget about your safety, your
fun can quickly turn into danger. This guide was written to give
you some tips on staying safe and healthy.
How do I keep myself safe at a party?
New social settings like parties are a fun way for you to spend
time with your friends. Most of the time parties are a safe way
to hang out with your friends but sometimes things can happen that
can make a party a dangerous place to be. It's important to think
ahead and know what to do if a party gets out of control.
Here are some very important tips on how to keep yourself
safe at a party:
- Never walk away with strangers. There will
probably be people that you don't know at a party. Stick with
a group of your friends. When you are talking with new people,
get to know them and decide whether or not you can trust them.
It's always safer to go home from the party with the friends you
went to the party with!
- Never be alone with someone who has been drinking or
taking drugs.
Alcohol and drugs affect people differently so someone that you
know well could act very differently and be a threat to you.
- Always get your own drink. You should always
get your own soda and open it for yourself. That way you know
exactly what you are drinking, and you can be sure that no one
put any drugs or alcohol in your drink.
- Never put your drink down. It is important
that you always keep an eye and a hand on your beverage. If you
set the drink down or get it from someone else, then there is
a possibility that a person could put alcohol or a date-rape drug
into your drink. These drugs dissolve leaving no taste or color,
so you wouldn't even know if a person were trying to use them
on you. The effects of these drugs are extremely dangerous and
often lead to rape situations. If you do set your drink down and
walk away, just go and get yourself another one and leave the
first one on the table or pour it out.
- Avoid alcohol and drugs. Taking drugs or drinking
alcohol puts you at risk. You may be taken advantage of, because
your judgment will be impaired.
- Tell your parents and friends where you are going.
It is important that your family and friends know where you are.
They may need to contact you or, more importantly, you may need
to contact them if you find yourself in an uncomfortable or dangerous
situation.
- Never get in a car with someone who has been drinking.
You have probably heard that you shouldn't drink and drive. But
also, never get into a car with someone who has been drinking.
Drinking and driving puts your life in very serious danger, and
it also puts other drivers on the road and other innocent people,
like children playing near the road, in danger too. Call your
parents to pick you up or get home with someone who has NOT been
drinking at all. Even one or two drinks can affect a person's
judgment, reaction time, and ability to drive safely.
What can I do to develop a safety plan for different
social situations?
No matter what the situation is, you can develop a plan to help
keep yourself safe. Read the following list and develop your safety
plan right now!
- Tell your parents where you are going, who you will be with,
and when you will be back.
- Carry money, a phone card, or a cell phone in case you need
to make an emergency phone call. Don't forget to keep emergency
numbers and the phone number of a taxi service in your wallet
or backpack or program them into your cell phone.
- Stay in well-lit public places.
- Stick with another person or a group of your friends.
- Be aware of strangers. If you talk to them, don't volunteer
information about yourself.
- Pick code words with family and friends - words that you can
say when you are concerned so that you can let your parents know
over the phone that you are uncomfortable and want to be picked
up from wherever you are. (Make sure you talk with your parents
ahead of time so they know the signal - so when you call you can
get picked up right away.)
What do I do if I am walking in an unfamiliar
neighborhood?
There are certain things that you can do to keep yourself safe
until you are near home. Here are some tips:
- Walk with another person whenever possible.
There is always safety and comfort in numbers, so the more the
better. It is important that you are aware of your surroundings
- look up and down the street on both sides and even behind you.
Walk on the sidewalk of main streets and stay where it is well
lit. It is better to keep your headphones off instead of listening
to music so you can hear and see what is going on around you.
Walk quickly and confidently to your destination.
- Trust your feelings when you are walking in
an unfamiliar neighborhood. If you are worried that you are being
followed, cross the street to see if the person does the same.
Do not be afraid to start running if you need to - don't wait
until the person is very close to you to begin running. Go to
the nearest store, restaurant, or police station.
- Don't fight with someone who tries to take
your belongings. If an unfamiliar person grabs your purse or bag,
just let go and do NOT struggle with them. If you fight, you risk
getting hurt. Money and other belongings can be replaced - your
safety is the most important thing. Run in the opposite direction
of the person and go to the nearest police station or business
to call for help. Don't forget to use your voice. Yelling for
help is a sure way of getting the attention of people around you.
What do I do if I am out and someone that I don't
know comes up to me?
When you were younger, your parents probably taught you never to
talk with strangers. This is a good rule for children but in your
teenage years that rule doesn't always seem to fit. There are lots
of times when it is necessary to talk to someone that you don't
know. Most strangers turn out to be nice people, but it is important
that you do not trust everyone that you meet right away.
Know the warning signs and how to protect yourself:
- Be aware of anyone in a car who stops to talk
to you or ask you for directions if you are walking down the street,
even if you are in a familiar neighborhood. Try to keep your distance
from the car and never offer to get in the car
even if it sounds like the stranger is going in the same direction
that you are headed. For example: Don't get in a car if a stranger
tells you that there is some kind of an emergency requiring that
they bring you home.
- Be assertive. If a person that you don't know
comes up to you to start a conversation, you don't have to talk
to them if you don't feel comfortable. Don't be afraid to sound
rude if someone keeps bothering you. Stay calm and firmly and
loudly say "NO". Remember that "NO" is a complete
sentence - you don't have to explain yourself to someone that
you don't know. If you don't want to talk to someone, don't do
it.
- Be street smart. Not all dangerous strangers
are immediately rude or forceful when you first meet them. It
is important that you are aware of strangers, both men and women,
who seem charming - the ones who make conversation and get important
information about you without your even realizing it. Remember
that you do not have to share any information, especially important
details about yourself if you don't want to. For example, just
because a stranger tells you where they live, it doesn't
mean that you have to tell them where you live. Don't
volunteer unnecessary information about your plans or even your
full name. Remain in public where you are comfortable and surrounded
by other people. You should never go off alone with someone you
don't know.
- Be careful who you trust. Keep your distance
from a new person until you have had the chance to learn about
them. Don't trust someone who follows you around or won't leave
you alone if you ask them to. You can make up code words with
your family that they will use if there is an emergency at home.
This way, if a stranger comes up to you and says that there is
an emergency and that you need to leave with them, you can ask
for the code words that only you and your parents know. Pay attention
to how the stranger that you are talking to acts when there are
other people around - see if they seem comfortable and continue
acting normally even in the presence of security guards, store
or restaurant employees, or other adults. If you are worried or
nervous, you can go to police officers or to security guards with
nametags and badges. You will also find people who may be able
to help you at information desks and customer service desks at
public places like the mall, and also restaurant or store managers.
- Be prepared. Check out self-defense classes
in your city or town. Your local police department or school might
offer classes that can teach you how to protect yourself and how
to handle uncomfortable situations. Thinking ahead and planning
for your safety is a way to feel powerful and confident!
You
do not have to be afraid every time you leave the house. But,
it is important that you take some responsibility for your
own safety. Trust your instincts, pay attention to what is
going on around you, and protect yourself. Remember, being
safe will not take away from your fun. Being safe will make
sure that you can keep having it! |
Written by the Center for Young Women's Health Staff
Updated 9/2/2003
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