Staying Safe on the Mean Streets of Life

More of This Feature • Bystander Apathy • Yell, "Call 911!" • Self Defense Tips    More on Street Safety • Walking Alone Tips • Street Smart Links • QUIZ:   Are you street smart?   • MORE Teen Quizzes    Join the Discussion Post a message to one of the Teen Advice Message Boards Teen Advice Main Forum Post Now Teens Love & Dating Forum Post Now     Related Resources • How Tos for Teens • Violence Tip Lines • Sexual Harassment • Sexual Abuse & Assault    From Other Guides • Self Defense Resources • ABOUT Martial Arts Site

When under attack there are everyday items in your school bag or purse that you can use to buy yourself some precious get away seconds.

Things you may have in your bag that can help you in an attack:

• Keys: Keys can be an excellent aid in self-defense. They can be used to gouge at eyes, to stab at the throat or to punch at the face. Put them between your fingers when you make a fist to add force to your get away punch.
• Pencils, Pens, Rulers, Geographical Compasses, Protractors: These can be used much the same way as keys and are just as effective. Again, use them to gouge at eyes, to stab at the throat or to punch at the face.
• Hairspray or aerosol breath freshener: When used at close range these two items can be sprayed in the eyes of an attacker to buy you some life saving get away seconds.
• A hand full of spare change: A bunch of loose change can be forcefully thrown in the face of an attacker to startle them and help you get time to runaway.
• A can of pop: Shaken up and sprayed at an attacker pop can act to startle them in the same way spare change can. Also, an attacker will not know what is really being sprayed at them and will act to protect themselves, they will likely put their hands up in front of their face to block the pop giving you a chance to run. The goal is to get away so anything that startles an assailant is valuable.
• Cell phone: A cell phone call to 911 at the beginning of an attack can still be valuable. Dial 911 and drop your phone. Start yelling where you are, your first name (do not yell your last name) and that you are being attacked. 911 will record what you yell and in dropping the phone your attacker will have to bend over to pick it up and disconnect the call giving you the seconds you need to start running away.
• Your bag itself: A bag packed full of school books can also help you get away. You can throw it at the assailant to put them off balance, you can swing it around to hit them and push them over or you can open it and start throwing the contents at your attacker to trip them up as you run away.