New
Ebook by Susan Martinez!
OUTSMARTING THE
BAD GUYS:
A Personal Safety Guide for Women
Susan's
Blog
http://susanmartinezauthor.blogspot.com/
Out-Smarting
Dumb Asses:
Get
Smart Safety Tips for Women
By
Susan Martinez, Black Belt/Grandmother/Author
Copyright © 2010 Susan Martinez
www.blackbeltdo-gooders.com
I get really furious whenever I
think about people who harm women. Crime
statistics reveal that 1 in 6 women will be a victim of sexual assault in their
lifetime. Incredible!
These statistics may not even include women who are victims of domestic
abuse, stalking, unreported rape, trafficking, home invasions, carjacking, and
muggings. Unfortunately, it’s
nearly impossible to grasp the significance of crime statistics until you or a
loved one becomes a statistic.
The good news is that the majority of attacks on
women are preventable. Yes, I said
preventable. They can be stopped
before they even start if women wise up and learn how to out-smart the dumb ass
predators in the world.
How do I know attacks are
preventable? Unfortunately, by
experience. I
am the mother of a girl who was attacked by a stranger.
When my daughter Amber was 14 years old, she was grabbed off her bicycle
one block from our home, thrown into this pervert’s car, and driven to a
secluded area to be raped.
But things didn’t go down as
he planned because this dumb ass hadn’t chosen a “perfect victim.”
He chose a smart girl who had a smart mother who had taught her to fight
for her life if she were ever in danger. And
never be a perfect victim! Amber
fought back, yelled for help, escaped, and lived to tell.
I am happy to report that she is 35 years old now and the mother of my
two perfect, little granddaughters.
Since Amber’s attack in 1988,
I have gone on to become a second degree black belt in American Tae Kwon Do,
founded Black Belt Do-Gooders, and have written two books on self-protection:
Safe & Sound (for children) and Life-Guard (for women).
Safety is a lifestyle for me. Is
it for you? I’d like to give you a
few safety tips for keeping yourself and your loved ones safer from harm.
Get Smart
Safety Tips by Susan Martinez
- Carry
yourself with confidence. Chin
up. Back straight.
Look strangers in the eye. Speak
in an authoritative way. Predators
want weak victims. If you look
strong and confident, they won’t want to mess with you.
Remember the old saying, “If looks could kill?”
- Trust
your gut feelings. If something
or someone feels wrong or “off”, trust your sixth sense.
Don’t go there! Don’t
do it! Scram!
Many women have taught themselves how to not listen to their gut feelings.
This is a dangerous mindset. Fix
it.
- It’s
okay NOT to be nice and friendly all the time.
With strangers, it’s safer to be cool and aloof. Women are
sympathetic and giving by nature, which can get them in a lot of dangerous
situations. Teach your children to be suspicious of strangers, too.
- Guard
your purse. Women practically
carry their lives around in their purses.
And lives are ruined everyday by dumb ass identity thieves.
Keep your purse zipped or clasped shut at all times.
If you set it in a shopping cart while you’re shopping, strap it
down like you would a small child. When
traveling, use a purse with a long strap that can be crisscrossed over your
chest. Don’t ever leave your purse in the car unless it’s locked in the
trunk.
- Beware,
the woman is carrying! When out
and about, carry something in your hand that could be used as a weapon, if
needed, like keys, umbrella, cane, purse, or pepper spray.
[I don’t recommend carrying a gun.] Don’t forget about the
weapons you were born with: teeth to bite, fingers to scratch and poke into
creepy eyes, hands to punch, elbows to crack a jaw, and knees to ram into
some dumb ass’ groin.
- Don’t
leave home without a cell phone or some device to call 911 in an emergency.
If you feel threatened in any way, it’s
an emergency. Call 911!
Don’t wait until things get really bad to call 911. Teach your
children how to dial 911 ASAP.
- Healthy
paranoia is a good thing. Be
aware of your surroundings. When I am outside my home or office, I am alert
and looking around for possible danger all the time.
Be fully in the moment. Don’t
daydream or space out unless you’re safe and sound at home.
- Danger
tends to lurk in the shadows. Stick
to well-lit areas.
- It’s
safer to use an elevator than stairs. Empty
stairwells are well-known hiding spots for dumb ass sexual predators.
Get your exercise another way.
- Only
go out in pairs, if at all possible. Public
restrooms, jogging paths, parking lots, alleys, bad neighborhoods, plus
laundry mats, public transportation, convenience stores, and pumping gas at
night are especially hazardous areas to be alone.
Don’t hitchhike ever.
- Home
invasions are on the rise. Always
keep your house doors and windows locked.
Invest in a loud security alarm system and motion-sensitive lighting.
If you live alone, get a big dog.
Change your locks from time to time.
- Avoid
a carjacking. Keep your car
doors locked when you’re in and out of the vehicle.
Don’t open the windows or doors unless you’re absolutely certain
you can trust the person on the other side of the door.
Don’t be afraid to ask a police officer to show his or her badge to
you before you open your door. If
you feel threatened while in your vehicle, lay on the horn and get out of
there.
- When
you’re out at a social event, bar, restaurant, private party, remember
please: Alcohol consumption will
lower your natural defenses and make you an easier victim.
Don’t drink unless you have a sober person to be your companion for
the night and, of course, to drive you home. Keep an eye on your drinks –
Roofies happen!
- Run,
Lady, Run! If physically
possible, practice running, even if it’s just for a short distance.
Some women never run and aren’t sure they could if they had to.
Knowing you could run away from a dumb ass is a valuable self-defense
tool. Even if a predator has a gun pointed at you, run for your life!
- Take
a self-defense course or learn a martial art.
Knowing how to block, evade, kick, and punch are available skills if
you or a loved one is being threatened.
- If
an attack is in progress, yell “Fire!” or “Help!”, scream and swear
like a crab fishermen, run as fast as you can, and fight for your life.
Don’t go down easily. Don’t
allow a dumb ass to steal even a moment of your life or peace of mind.
- If
an attack (verbal or physical) does occur, notice details, get the hell out
of there somehow, report the attack, press charges, and seek justice through
the legal system.
- Teach
your daughters, sisters, mothers, grandmothers, friends, co-workers, and
every other woman you know what you learn about safety and self-protection.
Send them these Get Smart Safety Tips.
- The
World Wide Web can be a worldwide spider’s web.
Please, please be aware of the danger of entering into online
relationships and cyber romances. Don’t
give out too much personal information, like your real name, home or work
address, or phone numbers. If
you decide to meet face to face with this person, take a companion along.
Meet in a busy place in the day time.
I would sit near a door, too.
- Help
others if you witness an attack in progress.
Call 911. Get involved.
Make some loud noise and cause a commotion.
"When In Doubt About the Cop Trying to Pull You Over, Drive to Safety
or Call #77 or #677 on Your Cell Phone." {Check out this web site
for more info}
- Call
in your guardian angel. I never
leave my home or go to sleep at night without asking the angels to protect
me and my family. Our invisible
friends are with us always. All
you need to do is ask for help.
Be smart out there!
[Note:
If you would like to reprint or post this article online, please do so in its
entirety.
It's okay to substitute "Dumb Jerk" for "Dumb Ass" if it
helps you connect with your audience better.]
Pictures
and Author Bio below
Susan
Martinez (on right) with daughter Noelle Erling and son Jake Erling.
Susan hugging her granddaughter Sophie,
who had just earned a purple belt in karate.
About
Susan Martinez
Susan Martinez is the author of six
books, a press agent, a certified hypnotherapist, and a 2nd degree black belt in
American Tae Kwon Do.
Susan earned her first degree in 1991.
She is the founder of Black Belt Do-Gooders (Just a bunch of black belts
doing a few good deeds!). She continues to train at Out On A Limb Martial Arts
in St. Paul, MN. There are three
living generations of martial artists in Susan’s family:
Two of her children are black belts, and her five year old granddaughter
is a purple belt.
Susan Martinez is the mother of five
grown children, grandmother of two, and resides in suburban Minneapolis,
Minnesota with her husband TJ Martinez.
Official Author Web Site:
www.skyebluebooks.com
Black Belt Do-Gooders Web Site:
www.blackbeltdo-gooders.com
Jake Erling’s Web Site (author’s
son): www.tjsusan.com/Jake.htm
Email Susan Martinez: blackbelt@tjsusan.com
Books
by Susan Martinez (aka: Susan Erling Martinez)
These
books are available at Amazon.com
Skye Blue
& the Dream Catcher Ghost, 2009
(juvenile fiction)
Skye
Blue & the Fairies, 2008
(juvenile fiction)
Last
Call for Alcohol: Healing a Marriage Harmed by Alcohol Abuse, 2002
Angels
& Dreams: Add Sparkle to your Life while you Sleep with the Help of the
Angels and your Dreams, 1995
Life-Guard:
A Woman's Personal Safety Guide, 1992
Safe
& Sound: A Parent's Guide to Self-Protection for Kids (co-authored with E.
Gordon Franks), 1990
