How to Act If You're Being Followed or Watched

This may happen to anybody: you're walking home and suddenly notice that somebody is following you. Your natural reaction – having a panic attack – won’t help, but there are several ways how to protect yourself from being attacked or robbed. Remember, you should stay alert at all times. Any time you're going home, taking a dog for a walk, strolling the streets on your own, stay focused and observant. Glance around and behind yourself every half a minute or so. Try to notice everything out of the ordinary and analyze the situation. And if your instinct or reason tells you that somebody is stalking you, it's time for some actions. In case you’re sure you’re being followed, try to lose them. Cross the street as if you need to do this. If you're lucky, they may even lose you in a crowd, around a building, or behind cars. Check who is following you - confront the danger head-on. What is more, you immediately alert the person who is after you that you're well aware that they are on your tail. Sometimes, it's enough to cause a person to stop. Call your friends or, if you’re in immediate danger, call the police. If your cell phone's battery is dead or you can't use it, enter any establishment on your way, inform them that you're being followed, and ask them to call the police. If you decide to run away, go to areas full of people: first of all, your stalker may lose you among other people; secondly, they will unlikely hurt you or rob in front of others. If the criminal gets ahold of you, be cooperative, listen to the criminal, don't talk, and follow their instructions. If a person threatens you with a knife or a gun, such cooperation will lower the chances that they will harm you. If you understand that you're being attacked, use everything you have at hand to fight off the criminal. Keys, a heavy bag, fingers, fists, a book; you can use anything to protect yourself. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices