Last week a call centre employee was raped and murdered in Pune. And this incident certainly isnt the first of its kind. Such incidents have occurred in Bangalore and in Delhi before this. Usually the offender is the driver of the cab that drives a call centre employee to/from work. NASSCOM and individual call centre companies do keep coming up with safety measures and directives. But there are still no guarantees.
Its not really just the call centre employees who are at a risk. Crimes against women and children are on an all time high anyway. So, all of us are exposed to some degree of risk every time we venture out of our homes. In fact, we are not safe even within our homes. An intruder may strike at any point of time when a woman is alone at home. So how do we ensure our own safety? Are there any specific measures that can help you take care of yourself?
Try not to attract attention to yourself in public places. So save those revealing dresses for private parties etc. When in public, dress appropriately.
Have your mail addressed in such a way that neither your name and sex nor your marital status is revealed. For instance, have your mail addressed to S. Sharma instead of Mrs Sujata Sharma.
Always be armed with a tool. This does not have to be a gun or a sharp edged knife. But you should invest in a small Swiss Army Knife or a chilli spray can. These tools may not be good enough to completely outdo your attacker, but they can put him off guard for some time. Use that time to run or to raise an alarm.
Watch out for any telltale signs of interest. usually you can tell if someone is taking undue interest in you. Try to distance yourself from such a person. If your driver stares at you in the rear-view mirror, complain to your HR and have the driver changed.
If you work at a call center, make sure that yours is neither the first and nor the last stop. Always have a male colleague be with you in the cab till you reach home.
Always have your cell phone charged and topped up with enough talk-time. Even if your friends or family cannot reach you immediately if you call, the call can certainly scare your attacker.
Use your head in the real sense of the word. Your head is made up of a hard skull. The skull can be used to deliver some really damaging blows to an attackers nose or chin. Give him a bloody nose with 2-3 blows of your head.
Go for the groin. Thats where it hurts the most. Kick him in his groin as many times as you can. Most probably, you will have the tables turned on him.
Dont be scared. Let him know that you are not scared and face him with courage. Exhibit a courage that is enough to scare him. An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. Use anger as a weapon.
Learn some form of self defence. It is very important that every woman knows how to protect herself. So enroll for a martial art class today!!!
