How to stay safe
Sir: Mary Wakefield is correct to highlight the opprobrium heaped on anyone who suggests sensible safety advice to women (‘Don’t mix up murder and hate crime’, 2 October). It has long been the case that this is the one area where it is impossible to give crime prevention information without stirring up a hornet’s nest.
Motorists are constantly told not to leave valuables on display when they park their cars, as they may return to find their windows broken and the articles stolen. No one claims that motorists are being ‘victim shamed’ when given this advice, even though the police may well roll their eyes when you report the crime and your insurance company may be reluctant to pay out for the damage, because of what they will consider negligence.
Everyone, male or female, should be on their guard in a public place, what self-defence experts used to call ‘condition yellow’: aware of your surroundings, avoiding potential trouble.
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