Prevent Rape
by Michael E. Berumen

Let’s get something straight: rape is not sex, it is an act of violence, an attempt to hurt someone, a crime, and not an act of consensual, mutual passion. Rape can happen to anyone, male or female, young or old, and it can occur in broad daylight, at home, in your car, or at work.

Be alert to your surroundings when you are outside, especially when alone. Stay in lighted areas as much as possible. Walk confidently, for rapists are prone to prey on the vulnerable. Walk towards oncoming traffic, close to the curb, avoiding bushes, doorways, and alleys. If you are being followed, walk quickly to lighted areas or towards other people. If a car is following you, walk in the opposite direction. If you are in imminent danger, scream loudly, yell fire, run way, even break a window or set of an alarm if that is your only recourse.

At home alone, lock your doors, close your windows, and make sure you have a peephole. Never open the door without knowing who is on the other side, and, if you know them, be sure you also know that it is safe to be alone with them. If strangers telephone or come to the door, never admit that you are by yourself. If you live in an apartment or you are staying at a motel or hotel, do not go alone to the laundry, exercise room, or garage, especially at night.

While in a car, park only in well-lit areas and keep your doors locked at all times while you are in it. When you leave a building, have your keys in your hand, ready to open the car or use as a weapon if necessary. Always check your back seat before getting into your car. If someone is following you, drive to a public place or a police station, or use your cell phone to call 911, identifying the license plate number, if possible, and the make and other characteristics of the car.

If you are a woman or a smaller or older man, consider taking a mace or self-defense course from a certified instructor. Call your local police department for information.

If you are attacked, only you can determine if you should fight back given the facts of your particular circumstance. Try to think through your options ahead of time. Though difficult, keep your cool as best you can, and be observant and rational in order to recall exactly what happened; set any embarrassment aside and call the police immediately; and, critically important, though it might be your first instinct, do not wash any evidence (e.g., semen or hair) from you r body. And most of all, remember, you are the victim of a serious crime, you did nothing wrong, so you need not feel guilty.

Michael Berumen is CEO and president of Four Star Private Patrol, Inc. (fourstar@tstonramp.com), which is headquartered in Temecula and provides services throughout Riverside, San Diego, and San Bernardino counties. He is the author of Do No Evil: Ethics with Applications to Economic Theory and Business.