What is Managing Personal Safety?

Personal safety is not about expecting something bad to happen.

It is about being aware of what is happening around you, recognising when something does not look or feel right, and having the confidence to decide what to do next.

Most situations do not suddenly become dangerous without any warning. There may be changes in someone’s behaviour, something unusual about the environment, or simply a feeling that the situation is becoming uncomfortable.

Recognising these things early can give you more choices.

Personal safety starts before there is a problem

When people think about personal safety, they often think about self-defence.

Physical self-defence can have a place, but it should never be the starting point.

Good personal safety is about making decisions early enough that physical intervention may never be needed.

This could mean:

• noticing someone behaving differently

• changing where you are standing

• creating more distance

• moving towards other people

• setting a clear boundary

• choosing a different route

• leaving a situation

• asking for help

A small decision made early can sometimes prevent a much bigger problem later.

Notice. Think. Act.

Throughout this manual we will use a simple approach:

NOTICE

Pay attention to what is happening around you.

• What can you see or hear?
• Has something changed?
• Is there anything that does not look or feel right?

THINK

Consider what might happen next and what options are available to you.

• Where are you?
• Who else is around?
• Where could you go
• Do you need to do something now?

ACT

Take appropriate action.

That might simply mean becoming more alert. It could mean changing position, creating distance, communicating clearly, leaving the area or getting help.

You do not need to wait until you are certain something is wrong before taking sensible steps to improve your safety.

Giving yourself options

There is rarely one perfect response to a personal safety situation.

What is appropriate will depend on the circumstances, the people involved, your environment and the options available to you.

The aim of this manual is therefore not to give you a list of rules to follow.

It is to help you develop the awareness, skills and confidence to recognise risk, consider your options and make an appropriate decision.

As you work through the manual, remember one simple principle:

The earlier you notice something, the more options you have.