The criminal world is prolific. Crime among minors is increasing, the number of burglaries in apartments and robberies on the streets is increasing, and the percentage of drug addicts among teenagers is high
There is a tendency to increase violence in robberies: more often the criminal is ready to use a weapon. Everyday life is rich in such excesses, which are often indirectly influenced by our distraction, carelessness and frivolity. To avoid danger, you must follow certain precautions.
Sometimes violence, even unmotivated, is provoked by teenagers who want to test themselves and their friends to the extent of cruelty. In such a situation, it is better not to pay attention to incitement, not to respond to insults, and quickly move away, not being ashamed of the fact that you have to retreat: heroism in this case is dangerous. It is often enough to cause a quarrel, but it is also true that if you do not give a rude response, the aggressiveness of such attackers may decrease.
Safety on the street
Often staying in the city is more dangerous than in wild and deserted places.
The city is a center of contrasts, and along with civilized life, there may be semi-barbaric phenomena. Criminals often act without waiting for night. What explains such impudence? Everyday life so isolates people that everyone is forced to do only their own business. Indifference to people from business habits becomes a trait of the city's character. Asking for help in the middle of the street is unlikely to get it from anyone. Newspapers regularly publish evidence of crimes committed in both large and small cities when others did not have the courage to intervene. At the sight of news of this kind it is quite involuntary to want to ask yourself: how to behave in this stone jungle?
If you are stopped by a criminal, avoid reacting violently, especially if they are armed, and even more so if you are not sure that you can protect yourself. This is not the case to risk being injured before being robbed. It's disgusting to say, but the best way to reduce physical violence against yourself is not to resist. So say the criminologists. Experts-practitioners add that the victim of an attack has a better chance of survival if he recognizes the criminal's superiority or power over himself. Such submission is not a natural trait for many, but before taking any retaliatory actions, it is better to carefully weigh the possible consequences. Especially since the criminals themselves in situations of their obvious superiority usually behave quite complaisantly.
Follow the tips that we give below, and this will, on the one hand, reduce the likelihood of getting into unpleasant situations, and on the other – increase the degree of your internal readiness to face difficulties. So, while in the city:
- avoid walking alone in sparsely populated areas;
- refuse, if possible, from night travel, in extreme cases, use a taxi;
- if you are rudely addressed about an alleged mistake or make you the object of ridicule, do not respond and do not give in to provocations;
- try to anticipate and avoid unpleasant situations;
- do not stop cars by hitchhiking if possible, and do not agree to be picked up by strangers;
- never show money or jewelry, they should be kept in an inner pocket, in a briefcase or in another safe place;
- do not load yourself with bundles and packages, it is better to always have freedom of movement in case there is a need to protect yourself;
- if someone prevents you from moving and you can't get free, contact the police officer, ring the bell at any entrance door;
- in an unfamiliar city, move around with a map that will save time; for the same reason, contact different people more often when you are looking for an address, because the only answer may be wrong;
- don't make it too clear that you are a tourist; walk around with the local newspaper under your arm, mingle with the locals;
- be careful of doorways and poorly lit corners, trying to avoid them as much as possible;
- if any motorist asks for advice, give it quickly and clearly, or apologize that you do not know this place, but do not volunteer to accompany a stranger;
- avoid getting on an empty bus, and if you still have to do it, sit closer to the driver;
- when you move around the city, it is always convenient to have a few small coins and tickets for city transport at your disposal. Avoid places with large concentrations of people: markets, crowds, queues, etc. It is in the crowd that it is easy to encounter someone who steals bags and wallets. You will not even notice it yourself because of the lack of time.
Here are a few more tips that, although they are obvious, it is useful not to forget:
- contact the institutions to pay for a receipt or to extend the validity of a document, not during rush hours and not in the last days before the document expires;
- when you leave the Bank after you have withdrawn money from your account, do not show it. The same applies to those moments when you are waiting in line at the checkout to pay for something;
- when crossing the road, do not suddenly jump out from behind the front of a bus or a stopped truck, which blocks the driver's view; do not do this near turns and intersections or in a poorly lit place;
- if you hear shots immediately move away from the window and lie down on the floor, after turning off the light, move around the apartment, crouching. Go to the side of the window, draw the curtains with a stick or MOP, and cover the children in the bathroom;
- if you are on the street during a shootout, immediately lie down on the ground or hide behind the nearest shelter (a post, tree, etc.), press against the wall of the house. To avoid becoming a victim of a random bullet, try not to stay in the middle of the street and move crawling or crouching.