It reassures them that they can put up a fight, or at least stall the attack,” she says. “More often than not, women in these classes find they are stronger than they thought. You’ll learn to protect yourself and know what your limitations are. Most people might look for another place to hide instead.

Emergency plan: use her firearm, which she concedes won’t work for everyone.Contingency plan: find a back office where they can hide.Secondary plan: leave through an employee exit in the back of the store.Primary plan: leave the way they came in.

There are all of these distractions and I’m experiencing cognitive overload.” Still, she’s prepared to keep herself and her children safe in a threat or emergency. Jones gives the example of grocery shopping with her four kids: “It’s a chaotic nightmare. Have a Primary, Alternate, Contingency, and Emergency (PACE) Plan.

If you choose to carry a personal alarm, she recommends these additional tips for staying safe: Staying safe requires a multifaceted approach, Jones says. On the other hand, she says that setting off the alarm may enrage your abuser: “They could overpower you, take the alarm and be even more angry.” In that scenario, she suggests looking someone in the eye and saying, “Help me” so there’s no confusion that the alarm is malfunctioning on accident.Īnother positive of personal alarms: They might briefly confuse an abuser, buying a survivor some time to run, prepare to fight or seek help. Jones says survivors can also use the alarm in a crowded place. Call 911 and if you can, try to intervene.’ That makes people much more likely to follow through for you.”Ĭurious if it’s safe to get involved as a bystander? Read “ 5 Ways to Intervene When You Suspect Domestic Violence” for more information. “Say, ‘I’ve got this device and if you hear it go off, I’m in grave danger. Jones recommends survivors inform neighbors that they have an alarm. “I don’t want women to have a false sense of security when it comes to feeling as though people around them are going to naturally intervene,” she says.Īlarms can be useful if people nearby feel accountable. And people don’t always help, often because they assume someone else will step in. Jones says the problem with personal alarms is that they largely depend on bystanders for help. She’s also a survivor of sexual trauma and domestic abuse. Jones spent a large part of her military career dealing with sexual assault and abuse cases. “They are just one tool in a toolbox,” says Sarah Jones, a former agent with the Army’s Criminal Investigations Division. Lipstick designs that camouflage their real function, $9.99Īnd with prices starting at just $2.50, cost shouldn’t be a barrier for owning one.Multi-packs you can share with friends, nine for $29.99.There are plenty of personal alarms on the market with features like these: Along with survivors, others who might find personal alarms helpful include stalking victims, children (who may walk to and from school on their own), college students, seniors, security workers, hikers or night shift workers, for example.

Panic button keychain