Preventing Abusive Relationships: Part 3

You know that there are dangers out in the world. But, what tools do you have to combat them? Well, the first thing to do is perform a risk assessment. A risk assessment is an evaluation of how dangerous a person or situation is. This can be done at any time and should only take a few seconds. If you find yourself in a potentially dangerous situation, complete a risk assessment so that you can tell if you are in danger or not. For this risk assessment, remember to LOOK, THINK, and FEEL.

 

 

1. LOOK - Take a look around you. Are there easily accessible exits? If you are inside, find doors, windows, or other exits. If you are outside, are there streets, alleyways, or doors you could use to move out of the immediate area? Trapping victims is the first tactic predators employ, so avoiding this is imperative. Sometimes getting to a location with more people around is all you need to do to avoid danger.

 

 

2. THINK - Does anything look out of place? Is there a person who seems to be following you? Is there someone you know who has been spending what seems like too much time talking to you? Think about the situation and try to determine if danger is near. Remember that although drug and alcohol use are not the cause of physical and sexual violence, they can escalate safer situations to more dangerous ones. Always be thinking about what is happening in any situation.

 

 

3. FEEL - Besides what you can see, what do you feel? Does someone seem creepy? Are you getting goosebumps? Are the hairs on the back of your neck standing up? These are natural signs that danger is near. In other words, trust your gut. If the situation feels as if it is dangerous, then it probably is.

 

 

If you conclude that the situation is dangerous from ANY part of the assessment, then it probably is and you should leave as quickly as possible. Also, you can use this risk assessment to help your friends if you see one in a potentially dangerous situation. Remember to use it often whenever you are anywhere that could become risky or dangerous.