DID
YOU KNOW?
- Every day there are over 2.000 violent
crimes committed
against teenagers by strangers.
- Young people are victims of theft more
frequently than are
adults.
- Older teenagers and young adults are
physically assaulted
at a higher rate than any other age group.
- Two-thirds of violent crimes against teens
are committed by
other teens. Half those teens are strangers to their victims. One in
four rape victims in 1983 was a teenage girl.
SO WHAT?
- So. . Knowing how to protect yourself and
your friends
makes good sense. You don't need to be a walking statistic!
BE STREETWISE AID SAFE
- Stand tall and walk confidently. Watch
where you're going
and what's happening around you.
- Stick to well-lighted and busy streets.
Walk with friends.
Avoid shortcuts through a dark alley, a deserted street, or a wooded
area.
- If harassed from a car, walk quickly or run
in the opposite
direction to safety. If you are really scared, scream.
- Never hitchhike. Accept rides only from
people you know and
trust.
- Don't flash your cash. Just carry the money
you need that
day. But always have "emergency" change for a telephone call.
- Know your neighborhood - when are stores
and restaurants
open? Where are the police and fire stations, libraries, and schools?
You might need them in an emergency.
- If you go out for a late night snack or a
midnight movie,
take a friend. Don"! go alone Most assaults happen to a lone victim.
- Let someone - a parent, brother or sister,
or friend - know
where you are going and when you will come back. Call if you're going
to be late.
- If you are driving, park your car in
well-lighted places
and lock it when you leave Check for uninvited passengers in the back
seat or on the floor before you get back in.
JOGGING OR BIKING
- Go with a friend and take familiar and
well-traveled
routes.
- Don't fog or bike at night.
- Try it without your stereo headphones. It's
safer to remain
alert to what's around - and behind - you.
IF YOU
ARE A VICTIM OF A CRIME
- If someone attacks you, try not to panic
Look at the
attacker carefully so you can give a good description to the police Try
to remember key things like age, race, complexion, body build,
clothing, height and weight, hair, eyes, or unusual features.
ON THE BUS OR SUBWAY
- Use stops that are well-lighted and
popular. If, your stop
is isolated, have someone there to meet you.
- Make sure you know which stop is closest to
your
destination. Check a map or ask the driver.
- Don't fall asleep. Stay alert
- If you are harassed by anyone, attract
attention by talking
loudly or screaming.
- Report any crime - a purse snatched, bike
stolen, or
attempted rape - to the police immediately
- If the attacker has a weapon and only wants
your money or
possessions, don't fIght back. Your life and safety are more important!
- If you're harassed by a gang, go to an open
store, gas
station, firehouse or anywhere there are people present Ask them for
help.
REACH OUT
- Are there places in your neighborhood that
make you feel
afraid or uneasy - an abandoned house, a vacant lot littered with
broken glass and junk, a street corner that attracts loiterers who
bother people? Tell your parents, teachers, police, Neighborhood Watch
or citizens' organization and work together to change things. Turn the
vacant lot into a community garden, organize escort patrols, repair the
house so it can be a youth center.
- If you know someone who has been a victim -
a friend, an
elderly relative, a parent - be there to listen and help out! No matter
what age, anyone who's been a victim of a crime needs time and lots of
support to recover.
- Do you need a project for your civics or
government class?
- List organizations in the community that
help victims or
operate hotlines for personal crises. Ask a local business to help you
publish it.
- Take a field trip to the juvenile court and
a juvenile
detention facility Write about it for the school or local newspaper
- Look into ways that teens can reduce crime
in the community
Student patrols for school hallways and grounds, anti-vandalism and
anti-shoplifting campaigns, teaching drug abuse prevention to younger
children are only a few examples Adults and the media often emphasize
the negative side of teens. You can help set their thinking straight by
showing the positive things teenagers can do.
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