Mentioned yesterday in 10 Safety Tactics For Women, this piece is an elaboration on the idea mentioned of “Lie To Survive.” Please share with the women in your life.
You do NOT owe a stranger anything. Remaining calm and answering with a lie can help you escape an uncomfortable or unsafe situation without it escalating.
Remember, somebody with bad intentions is looking for an easy target—lying can psychologically make things difficult for them. And getting away unscathed is the primary goal in self-defense.
- Elevator Alone: Doors open and a man enters and asks you if you live in the building.
- “Nope, I’m going to my boyfriend’s apartment.”
- “Nope, I’m in town visiting my brothers.”
- “Nope, just visiting a bunch of friends I went to college with.”
- Uber / Lyft Alone: Driver asks if they’re taking you home.
- “Nope, you’re actually taking me to my brother’s house.”
- “Nope, you’re actually dropping me off at my bosses house for a business party.”
- “Nope, you’re dropping me off at my uncle’s house—he’s actually a former Marine.”
- Coffee Shop/Bar Alone: A creep asks you, what’s a pretty girl like you doing here alone?
- “I’m actually not alone—my boyfriend works here.”
- “I’m actually just leaving—my dad is picking me up.”
- “Does anybody know you’re here?”—“Yes, my boyfriend—he’s the bartender/bouncer.”
Is “No” a complete sentence? Yes.
Could you be rude/nasty? Yes.
Could you ignore them? Yes.
But this can escalate matters rather than the opposite.
Why plug in a male figure? It’s intimidating to them.
Caught in the lie? Ask the bartender/bouncer/employee to walk you to your car or get someone (even 911) on the phone.