Play It Safe
by Tina Groeger
Have you ever been in a situation where you weren’t sure what
to do? I'm a teen mentor for a program called Girls LEAP. LEAP stands
for Leadership Empowerment and Awareness Program, and it gives girls
the physical and mental skills to defend themselves in scary situations.
Knowing and practicing how to react in a dangerous situation is important
for everyone, but especially for girls. Here are some guidelines on
how to be safe in uncomfortable or threatening situations:
Walk On By
On the street or in a deserted area, if a stranger approaches and you
don’t feel comfortable, don't talk to him. Continue walking to
the nearest public place—a store, library, or police or fire station.
If the person is very threatening, get attention by yelling "Fire!"
rather than "Help!" since more people are likely to respond.
In general, always walk with someone else or in a group and avoid shortcuts
through deserted areas.
Home Alone
If you’re at home alone and a stranger is at the door, keep the
door locked. Look through the window or peephole to see who’s
there and ask who they are—and don't open the door unless it’s
a trusted person. If the person won’t go away or tries to get
in, call 911. If a stranger calls on the phone, never say that you’re
home alone. If he asks for your parents, say they’re busy and
can't come to the phone. If the caller says things that scare you, hang
up and call a trusted adult or dial 911.
Safe Surfin’
On the Internet, in any public area (like a chat room or message board),
never give out your name, address, phone number, school name or any
other information that someone could use to identify you. Also, it’s
very dangerous to meet someone you've only talked to online. If you’re
meeting someone for the first time, ALWAYS meet in public places and
ALWAYS have a parent with you. Just because someone says they’re
a kid in an e-mail doesn’t mean they’re telling the truth.
Keep Your Hands to Yourself
At school, if someone sexually harasses you—makes inappropriate
comments, touches you, or does anything else that makes you uncomfortable—the
first thing you should do is firmly tell him to stop. If you’re
scared or uncomfortable , you may say "no" while nervously
laughing or smiling, and that sends a mixed message to the harasser.
As soon as possible , tell a trusted adult and be persistent until someone
takes you seriously. Your school is required by law to listen and take
action against any type of harassment. For more information, visit www.aauw.org/7000/ef/harass/index.html.
Love Me Tender
If you’re in a dating relationship, be aware of any abusive behavior.
A relationship with someone who’s overly jealous, tries to control
you, puts you down, or scares or threatens you, is abusive. First, talk
to your partner and explain how you feel. Talk to a friend or trusted
adult because the more isolated you are, the more control your partner
has over you. You can also call a hotline to get help. In any uncomfortable
situation, always use caution and common sense to make decisions about
what to do. Trust your own judgment and always feel free to talk to
other people about how to stay safe.
A CALL FOR HELP
Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN)
1-800-656-HOPE
National Youth Crisis Hotline (advice about many issues 24/7)
1-800-HIT-HOME
Kids in Crisis Homepage
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Bluffs/5400/
To read a story about why not to give out personal information by e-mail,
go to
http://members.aol.com/teenfocus/shannon.html.
© 2003 New Moon®
Publishing, New Moon®: The Magazine for Girls and Their Dreams,
Duluth MN. www.newmoon.org
