the definitive guide on how to not get raped

guest post by anonymous contributor
TW: list of ways women have been told to prevent rape, racism, rape apologism, misogyny
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It sure seems like women don’t hear enough about how to not get raped. Whatever happened to teaching girls to be strong, independent women who can protect themselves? We teach people to lock their doors to prevent someone from breaking in and stealing their stuff. Why don’t we teach women to take any precautionary measures to prevent rape? In order to remedy this situation, respondents from the Young Mormon Feminists and Feminist Mormon Housewives groups and I brainstormed all the ways we had been taught to avoid getting raped, and this list is the result of our endeavor. If you just follow all of this advice, we’re like 80.7% sure you won’t get raped!
- Don’t go out after dark by yourself.
- Don’t go out after dark with only other women.
- Keep your eye on your drink at all times.
- Keep your hand on your drink at all times.
- Keep one hand over your drink at all times, in case someone slips something into while you’re not looking, even though you’re supposed to be looking at your drink at all times.
- Get a date rape drug testing kit and test all your drinks.
- Don’t go to frat houses.
- Don’t go to bars.
- Don’t go to cowboy bars.
- Don’t go to biker bars.
- Don’t mouth off to guys in biker bars.
- Don’t drink too much.
- Don’t drink at all.
- Never drink more than 1 drink per hour.
- Don’t walk in isolated areas or where no one else is around.
- Learn karate or other martial arts.
- Go to a Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) class.
- Don’t wear tops that show cleavage.
- Don’t wear clothes that show too much of your thigh.
- Don’t wear backless tops or dresses.
- Don’t wear tops that show your shoulders.
- Don’t wear tank tops.
- Don’t wear sweaters.
- Don’t wear sheer fabric.
- Don’t wear lace.
- Don’t wear red lipstick.
- Don’t wear too much makeup.
- Don’t wear sweatpants.
- Don’t wear overalls.
- Don’t wear thin skirts.
- Don’t wear cotton dresses that are easy to cut.
- Don’t wear tight jeans because they’re provocative.
- Always wear a belt.
- Wear a jumpsuit or jumper.
- Wear tight jeans because they’re hard to remove.
- Don’t wear clothes with bright colors.
- Don’t wear colored underwear.
- Don’t wear a colored bra.
- Don’t wear clothes which attract the negative attention of men and boys.
- Never wear high heels because they’re hard to run in.
- Wear high heels because you can use them as a weapon.
- Always wear running shoes.
- Wear combat boots because they give you a harder kick.
- Don’t wear loose clothes because they’re grabbable and easy to tear off.
- Don’t wear tight clothes because they send the message that you’re looking for it.
- Don’t wear your hair in a ponytail.
- Don’t wear your hair in a bun.
- Don’t wear your hair in a braid.
- Don’t have long hair.
- If you have long hair, keep it hidden.
- Wear your ponytail loose if you have one.
- Don’t wear big hoop earrings since they are easy to grab.
- Don’t go grocery shopping after dark.
- Don’t be in a parking lot after dark.
- Don’t be in a parking lot by yourself.
- Don’t walk in your office parking lot alone. Walk with a coworker.
- Wear special nail polish that changes colors if you stick your fingers in your drink and there’s date rape drugs in your drink.
- Wear underwear that lock in place if someone tries to take them off.
- Wear your “anti-rape” face to let the men around you know you don’t screw around.
- Don’t look like you’re lost or confused while walking.
- Don’t take public transit alone.
- Don’t take public transportation at all, especially overseas.
- Never take the Greyhound.
- Don’t arrive at a bus terminal too early. Be in bus terminals for as short a time as possible.
- Don’t talk to anyone on public transit.
- Don’t smile at men in public.
- Don’t make eye contact with men in public.
- Do make eye contact with all the men you see in public so that you could pick them out of a police lineup and therefore become an undesirable target.
- Don’t go on trips to other countries alone.
- Don’t go to festivals or events in other countries unless you’re in a large group with men.
- Don’t search through your purse while walking.
- Don’t do any other activities while walking except walking.
- Don’t jog at night or in the early morning.
- Don’t wear earbuds while outside.
- Only have one earbud in your ear while outside.
- Go to the bathroom in groups. Don’t go into public restrooms alone.
- Don’t walk in parking garages alone.
- Never use underground parking.
- Always fight back so that you’ll have evidence of a struggle if you report to police.
- Don’t fight back because then your attacker will probably kill you.
- Hold your keys between your fingers like Wolverine.
- Don’t hold your keys between your fingers, it doesn’t work because you can’t get close enough to use them before your attacker overpowers you.
- Get a keychain that doubles as an anti-rape weapon.
- Carry an umbrella.
- Carry a long object in your hand with which you can hit someone.
- Carry a huge metal flashlight, for light and as a blunt weapon.
- Carry hairspray to spray at an attacker.
- Carry windex in your purse to spray in their eyes.
- Carry a rape whistle.
- Carry a rock.
- Carry pepper spray.
- Carry brass knuckles.
- Carry a butterfly knife.
- Carry a taser.
- Carry a lipstick stun gun.
- Carry a gun.
- Take gun classes if you are going to carry a gun.
- Use your purse as a weapon.
- Don’t carry too many bags or packages.
- Don’t carry heavy bags or packages.
- Don’t carry a weapon because your attacker will take it from you and use it against you.
- Don’t talk to strangers.
- Make small talk with strangers walking near you.
- Yell, “Rape!”
- Yell, “Fire!”
- Yell, “Stop!” or “Stay back!”
- Yell, “Call 911 now!”
- Yell, “I’ve got pepper spray!” (even if you don’t).
- If others are within hearing distance, turn to the person following you and say in a loud and assertive voice: “Stop following me!”
- Talk on your phone while walking because someone would know immediately if you’re being attacked, and you become a less desirable target.
- Don’t talk on your phone while walking because it makes you less aware of your surroundings.
- Pretend to talk on your phone while walking, but don’t actually call someone because it makes you less aware of your surroundings.
- If you’re in a parking garage and are being followed, talk to yourself loudly, or talk to an imaginary person loudly.
- Always be aware of your surroundings.
- Look confident, have your head up, and move quickly at all times.
- Practice lengthening your stride to move more quickly and look more confident.
- Watch out for odd behavior from any man around you at all times.
- Trust your instincts.
- Be old.
- Be fat.
- Be tall.
- Learn SING (Solar plexus-Instep-Nose-Groin).
- Stomp on your attacker’s foot as hard as you can.
- Scream in an attacker’s ear, as this will deafen them momentarily.
- Unless the attacker has a weapon on them, ignore them if they say not to scream.
- Ball up your fists and then pound on their arms and face from above.
- Pinch your fingers and then stab their eyes out.
- Grab a piece of skin under their bicep and twist as hard as you can.
- Kick them in the balls.
- Grab their balls and squeeze as hard as you can until they pass out.
- Grab their fingers and bend them back as far as they go.
- Use your teeth to bite their hand or arm.
- Use the “handshake grip” to twist his arm outside in and possibly break his arm.
- If there is mud or sand around, grab that and throw it at his eyes.
- Look for any pointer-like object that you can use to stab them in the eyes or throat.
- Grab his Adam’s apple very hard and squeeze until he suffocates or faints.
- Put one hand under his chin and twist it very hard sideways.
- Get a hold of his hair and pull as hard as you can.
- The elbow is the strongest point on your body. If you are close enough to use it, do.
- Wait until the rapist is on top of you and go for his belt because then he’ll be unbalanced and that’s when you knee him and run away.
- Just shatter the noses of any potential threat.
- Punch with a clenched fist because then you’ll get lots of force into it.
- Punch with your fingers gently folded over because you can’t risk digging your nails into your hand.
- Work out more, so that you’ll be strong enough to fight off an attacker.
- Try to poop on your attacker.
- Force yourself to vomit on your attacker.
- Urinate on your attacker.
- Tell your attacker you’re on your period.
- Tell your attacker you have AIDS.
- Tell your attacker you’re pregnant.
- Just run like hell.
- Say you’re a lesbian.
- Never reveal you’re a lesbian. A man may attempt “corrective rape” on you.
- Never reveal you’re asexual. A man may attempt “corrective rape” on you.
- Remember any tattoos or other identifying marks an attacker may have.
- Make sure you get some bruises to count as evidence.
- If the attacker has a gun, run in a zigzag pattern. It’s harder to hit a moving target.
- Make sure you always have your cell phone with you.
- Make sure your phone’s battery is charged before going out.
- Always have your phone ready to call 911 when walking alone.
- Have the police on speed dial.
- Meet your date at the restaurant.
- Always meet online dates in a public, busy place.
- Never tell a date where you live.
- Leave a note before going on a date explaining where you were going and what time you expect to be home so roommates or friends know when and where to look for you if you go missing.
- Never date a guy who makes a joke about rape.
- Always have an opinion about where to go on a date so your date doesn’t think you’re passive.
- Don’t let a man pay for your date because then they’ll expect sex with you.
- Always have your date walk you to your door so you get home safe at night.
- Don’t have your date bring you home because you won’t be able to stop him coming inside if he wants to.
- Speak up if your friend is going on a date with someone you know is a rapist.
- Keep your doors locked at all times.
- Keep your windows locked at all times.
- Take different routes home every day from work so no one can figure out your typical route home.
- Whether you are walking or driving, determine the safest route before you leave. Take the longest route if that is the safest.
- Leave from work at different times so no one can figure out when you typically get home.
- Always have a cab or driver drop you off a few blocks from your house so they don’t know where you live.
- Install an outside lighting system with motion detectors.
- Install a house alarm system.
- Replace or re-key locks when you move into a new apartment.
- Install a door viewer.
- Don’t answer the door when you’re home alone.
- Don’t answer the door to anyone you don’t know.
- Whenever you enter a new room, think of a quick escape route out of that room.
- When working in a new place or new to campus, scout out the safest way to walk from place to place.
- Walk only in well-lit areas.
- Find the locations of blue emergency call boxes, and walk near them.
- Stick with your friends at parties at all times.
- Make sure multiple friends know where you’re at at all times.
- If you drink, prepare your own drink if possible.
- Don’t drink from punch bowls or open containers.
- Don’t accept drinks from other people besides the bartender.
- Always watch the bartender pour your drink.
- If you go to the restroom at a party, don’t drink anymore or order a fresh drink.
- Take a water bottle to a bar, take it with you to the bathroom so you won’t have to order a fresh drink when you get out.
- Only go to parties at public venues.
- Always have a ride home.
- Don’t go to clubs where the music is too loud for people to hear you yelling for help.
- Know how drinks and food are served at the party beforehand.
- Assess if it’s really necessary to go to the party.
- Respond politely to advances from strange men until they go away.
- Be assertive and tell creepy men to back off.
- Don’t wear a skirt at a party.
- Don’t dance too close to anyone else.
- Don’t dance at all.
- Don’t do anything at a party that would attract attention to yourself. Just blend into the crowd.
- Don’t be the last person or group to leave a party or concert. Attackers usually wait around for the last people to leave.
- If you or a friend is getting unwanted attention, fake feeling sick to sneakily get away (drunk people won’t know you’re faking)
- Give a fake phone number instead of outright saying no to a guy who is hitting on you to avoid escalating the situation.
- Lie about why you need to leave a social situation so that a guy doesn’t feel rejected.
- Have a safety word set up between you and a friend, so if you are in danger you can call them and let them know you are in danger/feel uncomfortable without alerting those around you.
- Stop conferring so many privileges on rape victims. It makes getting raped a coveted status.
- Avoid dating black or brown men.
- Be extra careful around black or brown men in public.
- Make sure four men witness your rape and can testify to it in court.
- Don’t talk to homeless people.
- Avoid walking past homeless people.
- Wear a chastity belt.
- Wear a purity ring.
- Avoid looking like a hooker.
- Don’t make your boyfriend or husband angry.
- Have dinner ready for your boyfriend or husband when he gets home.
- Make sure the dishes are always washed.
- Keep the house clean.
- If your boyfriend or husband becomes physically violent with you, dump them before they become sexually violent with you.
- Don’t say, “Teach men not to rape,” because it makes men angry and more likely to rape you.
- Don’t have opinions on the Internet.
- Don’t express any feminist opinions on the Internet.
- Avoid making men angry.
- Set and maintain boundaries. Do not associate with people who cannot or will not respect your boundaries.
- If a guy disregards your boundaries in little things, he will disregard your boundaries in big things.
- If someone starts to offend you or cross a personal boundary, let them know immediately and firmly.
- If the person does not respect your wishes, remove yourself from the situation immediately.
- Download an anti-rape app.
- Host self-defense presentations at your school.
- Share lists on social media of ways to protect yourself from sexual assault.
- Teach men and boys to be respectful of women’s wishes in physical intimacy.
- Teach men to know “no” is not a challenge.
- Teach men to not see how far she’ll “let you go.”
- Just say, “No!”
- Say “No” repeatedly until he stops.
- Look up and know who the sex offenders are in your area.
- Don’t invite a plumber, electrician, or handyman to your home when you are by yourself.
- If you live alone and you need a plumber, handyman, etc. ask them to show photo ID and get a look at their truck before you let them in.
- Don’t go to parks after dark.
- Don’t walk your dog after dark.
- Never just sit in your car. Enter your house, office, store etc. as quickly as you can, and leave as quickly as you can.
- Be wary if you see anyone hanging out outside your building door.
- Beware of suspicious cars in the driveway.
- Don’t go into a neighbor’s house alone.
- Put a lock on your bedroom door.
- If your car breaks down and a guy stops to help you, find a weapon first.
- If your car breaks down and a guy stops to help you, demand that the guy show his hands.
- Never accept help from a guy if your car breaks down.
- Just try not to put yourself in a dangerous situation.
- Don’t daydream. Keep your wits about you at all times.
- If you are in a pool swimming laps, and a guy joins you, stay on your side or move to another lane of the pool.
- Come to parties in a group and leave parties in a group.
- Talk with your friends about ways you’ve learned to prevent rape.
- Watch out for boys who restrict your activities.
- Watch out for boys who isolate you from your friends.
- Resist peer pressure to participate in activities that would put you in a vulnerable position.
- Respect yourself and your body.
- Never have casual sex.
- Have a guy from church walk you home at night.
- Have a police officer walk you home at night.
- Never admit to anyone that you are home alone.
- If you’re living alone, you should use only initials on mailboxes and in telephone listings.
- Leave the porch light on at night and leave at least one more light on at all times.
- If you come home and find signs of forced entry, call the police.
- Walk only on the side of the street facing traffic.
- Walk close to the curb at all times.
- If you receive an obscene phone call, hang up—don’t react.
- If you are out, try to walk by shops that have security cameras and windows in which you can see someone behind you.
- Cross the street diagonally if a man is walking toward you on the sidewalk.
- Don’t walk next to bushes or shrubbery because somebody may be hiding there.
- Don’t walk next to parked cars on the side of the street in case someone reaches out and grabs you and pulls you in.
- Look around you before opening the door to your home or apartment because somebody may be waiting to push you in and lock the door behind you.
- Stay away from entryways.
- Stay away from tunnels.
- Stay away from alleys.
- Stay away from doors.
- Stay away pillars.
- Stay away from stairwells. The number one place women are assaulted is on stairwells.
- If you’re being chased, never run upstairs, because that means you could get trapped.
- Don’t get in an elevator with only one other man in it.
- If you’re in an elevator by yourself and a man gets in, leave.
- Avoid being in the laundry room, exercise room, or garage at an apartment building by yourself.
- Avoid being alone in a room with a man who is not your husband, fiance, or brother.
- Avoid parties that charge men but allow women to enter and drink for free.
- Don’t hitchhike.
- Never pick up hitchhikers.
- Don’t accept rides from strangers.
- If a driver stops to ask you directions, avoid getting near the car.
- Keep a large flashlight, two quarters, a map of the city you are in and five to ten dollars in your car.
- Always have at least half a tank of gas in your car.
- Always have your car in good working condition.
- If you think you are being followed, make 3 right turns to see if they are still behind you.
- If you are being followed, go to the nearest police or fire department.
- If you are being followed, go to the nearest business or residence for help.
- If you are being harassed by people in a vehicle, turn around and walk the other direction.
- If you are being followed in a vehicle, try to lose them at a yellow light.
- If the people in the other vehicle get out of the vehicle at a red light, run the red light, just get the hell out of dodge.
- Obtain the license plate number and description of the car following you.
- Drive your friends home late at night, even if they live across the street. Drive them across the street.
- If you drive friends home, stay and watch them get to their doors and enter their homes or apartments safely.
- When you get home, have your door key ready so you can enter without delay.
- When getting out of your car at a parking lot, check the car next to you to see if there is a person inside. If so, get out the other side of your car.
- If you park next to a big van on your left, always get in and out the passenger door.
- When getting back in your car at a parking lot, look inside your car first to see if someone is hiding in the back seat.
- Check the front seats and floor before getting into your car.
- Before getting in your car, look under your car to see if there is a person waiting to attack you.
- Always have your car key ready to unlock your car without delay.
- Don’t walk across the parking lot searching for your keys; have them in your hand before you leave the building.
- If possible, travel on well-lit, busy streets and avoid back roads and shortcuts.
- Drive with all doors locked.
- Women driving alone should never stop to aid a stranger in a stalled vehicle.
- If you have car trouble, stop, raise the hood, and stay in your vehicle. If someone stops to help, roll the window down just enough to talk to them. Don’t get out of your car.
- If you have a flat tire, drive on it until you reach a safe, well-lit, and well-populated area.
- If a police car is following you on the highway with its lights on, take the nearest off-ramp and drive into a gas station or populated area to pull over. Don’t pull over on the highway if you are the only one in your car.
- Teenage baby-sitters should not accept jobs from people they don’t know.
- Prepare mentally now for the possibility of rape happening to you.
- Prepare mentally now for your plan of action if a man attacks you.
- When you enter a new area, prepare mentally for the possibility of a rape attack happening to you.
- When you enter any potentially risky situation, prepare mentally for the possibility of a rape attack happening to you.
- Don’t go to college.
- Don’t have a job or career where you’ll be around men other than your husband.
- Don’t smoke pot.
- Don’t take drugs.
- Masturbate more so that you don’t get so desperate you’ll go home with just any guy.
- Avoid having too much leisure time to go out and party or hang out with male friends.
- Never trust men 100%.
- Don’t go to concerts.
- Don’t be in the pit at concerts.
- Don’t crowd-surf at concerts.
- Make sure you don’t wear revealing clothes at home in case your male family members see you and can’t control themselves.
- If a robber asks for your purse, toss it away from you and run like mad in the other direction.
- If an attacker throws you in a trunk and drives off, kick out the back taillights and start waving like crazy.
- If you’re in the driver’s seat and someone holds a gun to your head, gun the engine and speed into anything, crashing the car. Then get out and run.
- If you’re in the passenger’s seat of a car and the man driving the vehicle intends to attack you, jump out the passenger side door. Don’t be afraid to jump out of a moving car.
- If you hear a crying baby on your porch, do not open the door.
- If you see a car seat on the side of the road, don’t stop and help.
- Don’t be sympathetic to men asking for help. They are probably trying to lure you away to rape you.
- Avoid drunk people.
- Learn to speak authoritatively and without stuttering
- Don’t drive in certain areas of town.
- Don’t walk or jog in certain areas of town.
- Don’t live in certain apartment complexes in town.
- Don’t walk in certain areas of campus.
- Don’t take night classes.
- Avoid roads that don’t have adequate lighting.
- Don’t walk to work or school.
- Don’t get on late trains.
- Don’t stay late at work.
- Don’t make dirty jokes.
- Only travel in groups of 3 or more.
- Never sit on anyone’s lap.
- Make another email address apart from your primary address and give out that one instead of your email or phone number.
- Get a big dog. Take you dog on runs and walks with you.
- Don’t go out with creepy people.
- Don’t have a set daily schedule, like always jogging at the same time.
- Don’t walk through big parks alone day or night.
- Don’t be alone at work.
- Lock yourself in your office at work.
- Don’t go hiking without a man, no matter how large the group of women is.
- Don’t whore around.
- Don’t have sex before marriage.
- Get married as soon as possible, because you won’t have as many boyfriends around who might rape you.
- Have a large guard dog.
- Trust your gut, not the words that a man says to you.
- If they say, “You can trust me,” it’s a big sign you can’t trust them.
- Be careful who you pick as friends.
- Push away people who feel like they’re getting too close for the wrong reasons.
- “Nice” is not the same thing as “good.” Beware of “nice” guys.
- If a man has to tell you he’s a nice guy, then he’s not a nice guy.
- If you find yourself alone at night and you see a group of people (mixed is best, all female is also great), ask if you can walk with them.
- If at college, take advantage of the security escort services.
- Make sure you always have a good church boy with you when you go out in public.
- Don’t stay in a hotel by yourself. Always have a travel buddy so that you don’t have to stay at hotels by yourself.
- If you are staying at a hotel by yourself, register at the front desk as “unlisted.”
- If you are staying at a hotel by yourself, try not to leave and come back to your room too much, at regular times, or at high-traffic times.
- Wear a spiked condom.
- Explain that you are on your period, but if your attacker gives you his phone number, you can call him up when your period is over and he can rape you at a later time. Call the police and give them your would-be rapist’s phone number.
- Don’t kiss, because that means permission to have sex.
- Don’t meet people you know online. If you do, it means you want to have sex with them.
- Tell anyone you don’t want to have sex with that you don’t want to have sex with them. If you don’t tell them, they might think you do.
- Don’t get ice water from the bar.
- Park under a working light in the parking lot.
- Pick your nose if a strange man approaches.
- Always have taxi money in your purse.
- Have money in your bra for a taxi in case you have to run away quickly and you leave your purse behind.
- Don’t take taxis alone at night.
- Don’t play “doctor/house” as a kid.
- Don’t go jogging in parks at any time.
- Text people when you go running, even in high traffic public parks. Then text them when you leave.
- Text your friends when you get home safely.
- Keep your hands free while walking.
- Never drive at night.
- Act like you are enjoying it, and then they’ll stop.
- If you’re getting raped, pull out his hair so you have DNA.
- Beg him to use a condom.
- Make him bleed, and then he’ll stop.
- Offer to fellate him, and then bite his penis off.
- If you decide you’re going to have sex, do it. Don’t back out at the last moment, because if you do, then you deserve to get raped, because men can’t stop.
- Wear a fake wedding ring when traveling.
- Tell your rapist heartwarming stories about yourself, they’ll feel connected to you, and then they won’t want to rape you.
- Just talk to them. Try to understand what is going on in their mind.
- Ask them if they have a mother or sister and if they would want this to happen to their mother or sister.
- While being attacked, make sure you don’t say anything that might sound bad in court.
- Stare down everyone who passes you in the parking lot. Rapists look for women who are afraid of them.
- Don’t enter the sex industry.
- Don’t fall asleep on public transit.
- Don’t sleep in your car.
- Don’t sleep in parks.
- Don’t accept an invitation by a man you don’t know to stay at his place while traveling.
- Leave a mark on your attacker that would make it easier for investigators to identify him later on.
- Most college rapes happen within the first few weeks of the school year, so be extra cautious about meeting new people at that time.
- Don’t advertise your phone number, email address, or physical address on the Internet.
- Don’t advertise where you are at or where you’re going on the Internet.
- Don’t wear clothes that show your lower back when you bend over.
- Don’t wear swimsuits that have strings that you tie or untie because they’re really easy for a guy to untie.
- Layer your clothing so that there are more layers for an attacker to take off.
- Wear a one piece bathing suit under your clothes at all times.
- Just be a “good girl.”
Add any other pieces of advice you know in the comments. After all, women certainly don’t hear enough advice on how to not get raped!
2 Responses to “the definitive guide on how to not get raped”
The number of things on this list that I have never heard before is alarmingly small.
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