• 
  Avoid getting drunk at parties. Alcohol lessens inhibitions and decreases your awareness. Therefore, you are more likely to do things that you would not do while sober. It is best to stay lucid, especially in the company of people you barely know. You become easy prey for someone with bad intentions watching for someone to hit on.
  
• Always watch your beverage, even if it is soda. Keep it with you at all times- carry it with you to the bathroom if necessary. Date rape drugs like rohypnol ("roofies"), gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB), and ketamine can easily be mixed into drinks when you are not looking. Such drugs can cause you to lose consciousness.
  
• Once you lose sight of your drink, do not consume any more of it. You do not know whether a substance had been added to your beverage at the time of your absence. Get another drink. Date rape's not worth it.
  
• Avoid going into secluded areas with your date until you trust him/her. Go on double dates until you feel comfortable being alone with your boyfriend/girlfriend.
  Date people you are familiar with.
  
• Be clear about what you are seeking from your relationship. If you do not know, ask the person you are seeing to give you some time to figure things out. Do not lay around, flirt, or give them signs that you don't feel well. Do not let anyone pressure you into doing anything you do not feel is right.
  
• Avoid being alone with anyone who makes you uncomfortable. Your instincts will tell you which situations to remove yourself from. If you are invited to have tea or a drink with someone new- even during broad daylight DO NOT GO ALONE. Take a friend or friends with you- it can prevent many misunderstandings, and in many parts of the world it is okay to take friends with you without getting permission first- and even if it isn't okay, who cares? Take care of yourself first.
  
• Do not go to an apartment or hotel room if you do not know the person well, and don't let them follow you to your room. Once you are in their abode- or they in yours- it is much more difficult to extract yourself from a bad situation.

Tips:

• Trust your instincts! If you feel uncomfortable in any way DO NOT TRY TO NORMALIZE IT! Tell your date you are sick and about to puke, or get out of the situation some way. Never doubt your instincts or tell yourself the instinct is wrong or you misjudged him or her. Many people will look back and realize they had uncomfortable feelings before they had something bad happen.
  
• If all else fails drink water, or mix coke and sprite to look like a drink.
  Go to parties with a sober friend or a designated observer who is not drinking, who can keep an eye on you and make sure nothing bad happens.
  Always carry your own car keys so that you can always get away. They can also be used as weapons if need be.
  
• Carry enough cash for a cab ride home. Keep it as emergency cash and don't spend it. You may need it for other things, such as a being dumped on the side of a road or something. If you are in a foreign country, always have the name, front desk phone number and address of your hotel with you and written in a language that your cab driver can understand. Don't ever have your room number with that information. Leave information about where you were going, with whom, and when you should be back in your room- and how someone might find you.
  
• If you absolutely must, disable a would-be-rapist so that you can get away
• Be cautious of large punch bowls or drinks given to you by other people. It is very easy for people to slip drugs into them.
  
• Open your drink yourself.
  
• Don't share drinks.
  
• If you can see that they have condoms, or any other sexually oriented items that make you feel uncomfortable, don't say anything. Just get out of there!
  
• Don't go out with strangers.
  
• Call your parents if you are stranded somewhere- or a friend who will come and get you. What's the worst thing you parents can do compared to being raped, killed, or any other unfortunate things? Never feel that you can't call a parent or a close friend.
  
• Put a close friend, parent, or someone that is always concerned about you and would answer your calls, on speed dial. That way if you are ever in a compromising situation, you can just hit one number and call without anyone knowing.

Warnings:

• If he/she starts touching tell them forcefully to stop and walk away, preferrably to a place where there are other people.
  
• Always stay alert and aware of the situation you are in.
  In some cultures western women are perceived as "easy." This creates many problems for women who are traveling, and it creates an unexpected danger because you may not have done anything that you perceive as provocative. To be safe, NEVER ASSUME THAT THERE IS A NON-SEXUAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN A MAN AND A WOMAN- no matter what age- AND ACT ACCORDINGLY. In many cultures men and women are never casual, asexual friends, and if you assume there is a sexual undercurrent (even if it is the last thing you could imagine) you are be better prepared to protect yourself.
  If you are in a group, please look out for each other and don't let members of your group wander off alone or with someone unknown to the group.

Labels: things to avoid