Stay Safe When You Date

Stay Safe When You Date

Before a first date you are probably far too busy worrying about choosing the perfect outfit or how you are going to prevent awkward silences to be concerned about your safety but it is vital that you put your safety first when you are meeting up with someone new.

If the person you are meeting happens to be a friend already then the rules probably do not apply but on most occasions the person will be a stranger and you will not know much about them.

First of all make sure you tell a close friend or family member where you are going on the date and try to give them a time that you will be back for.

Giving a time is sometimes difficult because if things are going well you may choose to go on to another bar, however if you inform them of where you are moving on to with a quick text message they will know of your whereabouts.

If you do not arrive home or do not call them when you arrive home safely like you said you would, they have places that they can go to find you.

On a first date go to a public place such as the cinema, bowling, restaurant or a bar because if anything unexpected happens or you are getting bad vibes from a date there are people around to help you.

If you are invited round to a date’s house on a first date, don’t go. This is because if there happens to be any problems arise or a situation you can’t handle, you will not know where you are and will have no one around to help you.

If you really just have to sleep with someone on the first date, go back to yours instead of theirs. At least at your home you are familiar with your surroundings and will have neighbours nearby if you find yourself in danger.

Don't get intoxicated on a first date. Fair enough have a drink to calm your nerves but if you go overboard you can lose control of your body and may get yourself into a situation that you are too drunk to get youself out of.

Don’t dress too provocatively. Obviously you want to impress on a first date so that a second date will follow but this does not mean you have to wear a mini skirt and be flashing your cleavage. Guys often prefer the casual look because you seem more laid back and at ease with yourself but also looking trashy may give the impression that you are up for something when you are not.

Set up a ‘get me out of this date now’ code with a friend. If the date is not going to plan or there is something just not quite right about the person you are with, nip to the toilet and text your friend.

You will have previously informed them that if they receive this message they need to ring you and save you. For example, there has been a massive emergency and you need to get to the hospital quickly or maybe even your pet has died.

If your date is asking odd questions, being sleazy or is trying to get you to move on to somewhere more comfortable and you are not keen on the idea, it is the perfect time to use the ‘get me out of this date now’ code.

To avoid these situations do a bit of online stalking. We’ve all done it so let’s not pretend we haven’t, it is one of the beauties of social networking sites.

Find out a bit about his hobbies, his friends and take a glance through his pictures to find out if he looks half normal.

If he looks like a bit of a loner or general weirdo you can cancel the date but if he looks like someone you want to meet, great. As a bonus you now know a few things about him that should make starting up a conversation much easier.

Last but not least, carry a personal attack alarm. They make a loud screeching noise if you set them off and they will grab the attention of anyone around you. An attacker will be shocked by the noise so will most likely to a runner or whilst he is looking around to see if anyone else has recognised you can make a run for it.

When you get your alarm, don’t just drop it in the bottom of your bag because with the amount of rubbish women carry around in there oversized bags these days it makes them very hard to access. Instead clip them onto the outside of your bag.

The reason women tend not to use the alarms is the look of them but recently they have been made to look more attractive and look more like bag charms. Therefore a potential attacker will not be aware of their purpose.

The fancy looking charms are easy to get hold of as they are now available in some high street shops. If you are happy to go for a more standard alarm you can order them off many different websites.

Also, make sure you always have a bit of spare cash tucked down your bra and a local taxi firm number stored in your phone so you can get home safe when the time is right.

Remember, dates are meant to be fun but they will be more fun if you know you are safe and can relax.

Female First

Kelly Warden


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