How To Avoid Being Abducted At The Mall

Recently Dateline NBC aired an episode that investigated how one Florida stalker was silently attacking and abducting women as they approached their SUV’s in a mall parking lot. It made me take note of how unconscious some women, particularly young women, are when they leave the shopping mall or even the grocery store. Most are either preoccupied with their children, are struggling with an armload of bags or a stroller, and more often than not are either talking on a cell phone or listening to an iPod. All of these make a woman a dangerously easy target for any stalker or would-be attacker.

Here are some quick safety pointers for remaining safe as you leave the shopping mall or a retail establishment. Be sure to share these tips with the women that you care about:

• Avoid talking on your cell phone and not paying attention to your surroundings as you leave the mall and proceed through the parking lot. If you are using a cell phone, or listening to an iPod or mp3 player, you’re not really able to pay full attention to the activities going on around you. Remaining fully aware and completely alert as you leave a heavily populated area such as the mall and proceed to your vehicle is your top defense against an attack.

• Always have your car keys in your hand and ready for use as you walk towards your vehicle. Holding them in such a way that they can be used as a weapon if you are suddenly attacked. A great secondary line of defense would be to carry pepper spray slightly concealed in your hand. Many pepper spray products can be attached to a key chain, so at first glance nobody knows you are armed. However, you should be trained on how to use the pepper spray so that you’re not caught off guard or even inadvertently spray yourself.

• If you drive a newer model vehicle, it can most likely be unlocked by remote from quite a distance. Avoid using this feature until you are close enough to your car to enter and close the door behind you rather quickly. The last thing you want to do is accidentally allow a criminal access to your vehicle before you get to it. Once you get inside the vehicle, immediately lock all doors for extra safety.

• Before entering your vehicle, especially after dark, check to make sure there isn’t someone hiding inside. Consider investing in a personal alarm with a built-in flashlight that can easily allow you to investigate your car at night. If you’re not already in the habit of locking your car doors, get in the habit now!

• Don’t leave your valuables unattended in your cart, stroller, or vehicle. The criminal sees this as the perfect time to make off with your packages or your purse. Look around to ensure that the vicinity looks safe and then strap your child in first and place all valuables in either the backseat or trunk

• And last but not least, avoid parking near large vehicles, against shrubbery, or up close to a building especially if you are by yourself after dark.

Following these easy to implement safety tips will go the extra mile to ensure that you don’t become just another of Dateline’s mall abduction statistics.