Close Topic Options

What Makes You Feel Safe?

"Security is a state of mind."

Have you ever heard this phrase?

Unfortunately, there is *nothing* we can do to stop crime. We can *deter* it in some instances, but cannot completely stop someone from committing a crime, if they want to badly enough. Alarms, locks, cameras... does it really make you safe?

What makes you feel safe?

Safe Feel You What

When I was in the US, it was an Israeli made .50 Desert Eagle handgun equipped with a laser sight and few special rounds. For me, safety is more a personal or rather physical thing. I am far more concerned with someone doing bodily harm to me or my family than I am with my monetary goods.

However, now that I am in Japan (guns are a no no here). It is a Samurai Sword. Although, criminals here use guns as well, so I definitely do not feel on equal ground from the start.

Besides that, get a good lock for the doors.

The best defense is a good offense!

Vincenzo

What Makes You Feel Safe? History & Civil Business Politics

That's a difficult concept, in some ways, for me to grasp. I agree with it and understand that my ways of thinking have a lot to do with how safe I feel. In my opinion, the key phrase for me in this thread is how much safer I feel by deterring the crime even though I can't stop all of it. There are facts that make me feel safer. Some of these facts include:

1) Monitoring the crime rate in my area (moving if we needed to due to high crime rate)

2) The specific crimes that are being committed in particular areas (preparing for them specifically and avoiding the places and/or anything that could lead to this type of crime happening to us)

3) Statistics on how to best handle certain situations with criminals (maybe even profiling them a bit and also responding according to if a weapon was in possession of the criminal and what type of weapon it is)

My preparedness in knowing what to do in certain situations (which I don't know all of the ways I could better protect my family or myself in some instances and need to learn) could help me to feel safer, even though I can't stop crimes from happening. In my opinion, some safety precautions that are taken by us can make me feel safer and possibly lower the chance of some crimes from happening in the first place. I don't know the statistics, but even things as simple as locking my door and windows is a great safety precaution to take. I think that I have read or heard somewhere that this safety measure actually does prevent some criminals from entering a home and committing their crime. I think that those who prepare, just like the preparedness spoken about in another thread (I think the self-fulfilling prophecy thread), will decrease their own fears of not having personal safety. Personally, I think it is empowering to do what we can in many circumstances, including doing all we can to feel safer. I think that it's a good idea for everyone to prepare themselves by practicing good safety tips and purchasing some good safety products. Safety courses and self-defense classes may also be a good way to feel safer.

Locking our home and car windows and doors, keeping lights on outside our home, parking in well lit places at night, avoiding being alone outside at night, tightly guarding personal information, and knowing where our children are at all times, among lots of other things. So I decided to look for a website that gives some tips on how to prevent crime, which makes me feel safe, and this is what I came up with:

Click HERE for website (excellent information even though it is through the Palm Beach, Florida Police Department) The categories covered are prevention in:

*IDENTITY THEFT

*BUSINESS CRIME - RETAIL THEFT

*BUSINESS CRIME - COUNTERFEIT CURRENCY

*BUSINESS CRIME - BAD CHECKS

*BUSINESS CRIME - CREDIT CARD FRAUD

*BUSINESS CRIME - BURGLARY

*BUSINESS CRIME - ROBBERY

*REPORT ALL SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY

*RESIDENTIAL BURGLARY

*SELF PROTECTION AT HOME

*SAFETY AT THE ATM

*SELF PROTECTION WHILE WALKING

*SELF PROTECTION WHILE DRIVING

Safe Feel You What

I've been wanting to get a gun, to help increase my feeling of safety, but guns are expensive. So I've been toying with the idea of getting a taser instead, their only about twenty bucks, and unless your enemy has a gun they seem like they could be pretty darn effective.

As far as locks go, they are good for deterring casual criminals, but if someone really wants to get into your house a lock isn't going to stop them. So unless someone is specifically targetting YOU, then locking your doors is a great way to keep your self safe.

Safe Feel You What

Honestly, I don't think I ever truly feel completely safe. Though I do little things to make me feel safe to some degree, there are always those unexpected instances that play through my mind.

When I get into my car, day or night, the first thing I do is lock my door. When I get into my car at night, I check the backseat before I open my door. Little things like that help me to feel safer, but not completely safe.

To me, it's just a matter of not focusing my energy on being scared that something will happen to me. I try not to put myself in positions where my safety would be questioned.

What Makes You Feel Safe?

Thanks for the replies, folks! Great points and info.

I agree with you, Ambria, I never feel completely safe, and it amazes me how many people I see who are so oblivious to what goes on around them. For instance, not looking both ways when you step into the street, or even into a parking lot; not being aware of people within your "personal space" whilslt out in public; not examining their vehicles or their homes before entering, etc. Like you, I never feel completely safe or secure, even at home, because of the increase in crime all over - not only my local neighborhood, but the region of Southern California, and frankly, the world.

A gun has been on my "wish" list for a long time, because I feel that the world will get a lot worse before it gets any better, and I want to at least have something to defend my family and myself if it comes down to that. However, that doesn't make me feel safe; it just makes me feel as if I have an option (even as a last resort) in the event of an emergency situation.

Roz

Message Edited! Since we've taken more of a "how-to" turn here rather than focusing on the psychological aspects, this topic is moved to the Survival board.

Edited: FarSeer on 24th Feb, 2005 - 3:36am

What You Feel Safe

Some people don't exactly have the luxury of moving at a whim, but it is a good suggestion. Although that being said, Ambrosia is on top of the subject with, no one is truly safe it's more of a state of mind. I agree totaly, the only thing that makes me feel safe is curling up with someone I care about a lot and feeling warm inside. I could have the best gun or the best blade but nothing is compared to the way I feel with the person I love. Also for those who have a more spiritual approach to feeling safe, it is better yet to put your trust in your one and only god. Total faith would make you feel safe and that trust is another form of that feeling that steadied your nerves.

What You Feel Safe Politics Business Civil & History

Currently, for me, it is living in a good neighborhood in a good town. I live in a decent town in SE Minnesota, in a very good neighborhood, where neighbors really do look out for each other. That alone is a huge security mechanism. Next in line would be making sure doors are closed and locked. I don't believe in keeping weapons around the house. I do have a makeshift bat in the closet but I hope I never have to use it. When I lived in Florida, I lived in a gated community in a good part of town. I honestly believe where you live is a huge factor in feeling safe.