1. Plan your route: stay in lighted areas with many people around. Avoid alleys, obviously, but also avoid long walks in isolated areas. In many cities, you can ask the bus driver to drop you off slightly closer to your street, even if it isn’t a stop. (So long as it’s still on the bus route).

2. Don’t talk on your cell phone while walking. This may make you feel safer, but a distracted person makes a better target for a thief or a rapist. Don’t let yourself be a target.

3. Be rude. If a person walks by you, move farther away and don’t make eye contact. Look alert and look right at them.

4. Carry something that could be used as a weapon. Keys are an obvious choice, but aren’t actually that useful –an attacker would have to get pretty close to you before you could use them. An umbrella or even a purse can be used to hit someone. If you make yourself a difficult victim, you’re less likely to become a victim. Carry pepper spray and as soon as you feel uncomfortable, pull it out of your purse.

5. Trust your instincts. If you feel very uncomfortable, run. It’s better to be wrong in your instincts and embarrassed than to ignore your feelings and be attacked.

If you are attacked, make a lot of noise. Many women and girls who are attacked become so frightened they forget to scream, which is strange, but true. Activate your personal alarm system. Put up as much of a fight as possible – take a self defense course and learn where and how to kick.

Then, run. Run towards a lighted area, such as the nearest open gas station, and call the police. Your first instinct may be to go home and forget about this scary incident, but it’s important to report it, so that it doesn’t happen to someone else, perhaps someone whom is not as prepared as you.

This is not always a pleasant thing to think about – no one wants to think they aren’t safe in their own city but by being prepared, you can make yourself safer.