Ladies, Check Out 19 Safety Tips You Should Follow Before Meeting Someone New

The rate of gender-based violence, mostly against women, continues to grow. Very recently, on Sunday, May 2, 2021, the police confirmed a young school-leaver and job-seeker, Iniobong Umoren, dead days after her disappearance. Her friend announced that she was missing on social media on Thursday, April 29, 2021, after going for a job interview. Reports say that her killer raped her and buried her in a shallow grave. He allegedly lured her to a farm on the outskirts of town under the impression that he would interview her for a construction job after she announced on Twitter that she needed one.

Sadly, Iniobong is one of the hundreds of women who have suffered the same fate. Considering how susceptible ladies are to these kinds of situations, 234star.com presents 19 safety tips to help you when going to meet someone new or someone you met on the internet:

1. Do your research

If you’re going somewhere new or a place you don’t know, do your research. Ask people who may have better knowledge about the area. Also, run a small background check on the person you will meet, whether you are romantically or professionally involved with them. Also, if a small company invites you for an interview on the internet, read up about them, check sites like Nairaland to confirm their authenticity, and only make that move if you know beyond reasonable doubt that they are a legitimate business.

2. Keep your friends and family updated at all points

Tell your loved ones about either the date or job opportunity. Please give them the contact details of your date or human resource personnel for the company. Share your location with loved ones who can track you. If possible, call them as soon as you arrive at the venue to let them know you got there safely.

3. Pick a public place

If it’s within your powers to choose the venue for your meet-up, make sure your first choice is a public place. Consider a restaurant, the mall, a park, or any other place you would be around other people. If the person you intend to meet is reluctant to meet in public, that’s the first red flag you need to avoid the outing altogether.

4. Be aware of your surroundings

Pay rapt attention to the area you have your meeting. Note the landmarks and share them with someone close to you. Also, take note of exit points so that you’ll know where you need to go if you need to escape.

5. Have an emergency number

Write down, note, or memorise an emergency number like 112 for the police. It will make it easy to call for help if you have access to a phone. If that fails, also cram the number of a loved one you can call in a sticky situation.

6. Drive yourself or take public transportation

Never let someone you meet up with for the first time come to pick you up or drop you off at home. You’ll be exposing yourself to someone who could possibly harm you. Also, having control of your means of transportation allows you to run if you need to.

7. Talk to locals in the area you are going to

It can be easy to underestimate people like ‘area boys’, cleaners, or labourers, but they are usually the best people to help you in trouble. Try to arrive earlier than your appointed time and talk to a few locals. Be friendly with them and try to make an impression on them. They will most likely come to your aid if they feel some connection to you.

8. Turn on Phone Location

Even if there’s no one to share your location with, or you are unsure about whether or not they’ve seen it and are monitoring your movements, just make sure your phone’s location is still on. It would be easy to find you if anything goes wrong if your friends can pinpoint your phone’s exact location.

9. Always have your phone handy

If you were in real danger, your assailant would probably know to take your phone away. But it would be easier to make a quick phone call before that happens if you have your phone on you. It will also be easier to trace you if your mobile phone is around you.

10. Don’t overshare before meeting someone

This is particularly important if you are going on a date. Don’t brag about your life online before you decide to meet someone. You’ll never know what greed can make people do until it’s too late. So make sure to reveal very little about yourself before and during the first date.

11. Record conversations

This may seem shady, but you need to do anything it takes to guarantee your safety. If conversations start to feel like things are going south, and you cannot leave immediately, secretly record the conversation and share with a friend who knows where you are. It will help a great deal if your relatives need to find you.

12. Learn basic self-defence

This is imperative for every young lady in these times. If you are still learning how to defend yourself, you can get a small weapon. Consider items like pepper sprays, pocket knives, or stun guns, but be careful using them.

13. Have a deadline of time/curfew you can spend around the new person

You need to decide what time you have to leave the venue you’re meeting the new person even before you leave your house. We’ll suggest nothing later than 6 pm. Creating a timeframe is essential when you’re going on a date, going for home service, or simply hanging out with a new friend. No matter how much fun you’re having, never extend the timing beyond necessary. Leaving before it’s dark gives you a better chance of escaping a potentially harmful situation.

14. Hide emergency cash

Apart from the money you’ll keep in your bag, also hide some emergency cash on your body. If you successfully escape a potentially dangerous place, you’ll need money to get farther away, and this extra cash will come in handy.

15. Go with someone else

It may seem ridiculous to go with someone on a date or an interview, but better silly than unsafe. If you are on a date, your backup can sit at a different table and cover their bill while you enjoy your date. On the other hand, if you are at an interview, your backup can wait at the reception while you are going through the process. Either way, you’ll know that you are not alone, and that means you’ll at least be slightly safer.

16. Trust your instincts

If you feel like something is wrong, leave. Just trust your gut and find a way to reschedule or end the date or interview. It’s better to do this without raising any alarm so that your contact person doesn’t get suspicious.

17. Stay sober

Again, this is key for first dates. You wouldn’t usually be offered alcohol at a job interview. But in case you are, turn it down. Regardless of what scenario you are meeting someone new from the internet, do not take open food or drinks from them. Also, do not leave your edibles unattended if you intend to continue eating them. You are a million times more susceptible to harm if you are drunk or high or if they succeed in drugging you.

18. Buy a safety whistle

If you can’t keep a small weapon, have a safety whistle. It may not be what saves you, but it could be an option if you feel like there’s someone else around that can help you. At the very least, if you lose your voice and you have to scream, the whistle will help you do the job.

19. Have an exit strategy

Again, make sure to hold all first-time meetings in public. And avoid getting into a car with someone you don’t trust to visit a secluded environment no matter how juicy the offer sounds. The key is to avoid areas where the person you are meeting can isolate you from transportation. Take note of possible escape routes when you arrive at the venue. And if you do not feel comfortable about meeting someone new, make sure to set up the appointment in an area you feel comfortable. If you can’t do that and cannot go with a friend, try to set up a safe zone of friends. You can go with 2 or 3 friends who will stay at a venue close to your meeting point and who can come to your aid if anything goes south.