Public Places
In today’s society, it is commonplace for women to be “on their own”-as career women, business girls just starting careers, widows, divorcees, teenagers, college girls, and the ever popular “just single gals”. These women, because of their status, must seek their own recreation and entertainment.
No longer are public places such as bowling alleys, cocktail lounges, restaurants, race tracks-to say nothing of theaters, movie houses, and ball parks-”off limits” to un-escorted ladies. Thus, there exist today more opportunities than ever for women to be alone in public places, often as the potential prey of undesirables.
But recreation for the woman who is alone need not be marred by frightening incidents or spoiled by an atmosphere of danger. Alertness and the observance of some common-sense rules can help her avoid unpleasantness.
In a Theater
1 Try to sit near a family group if possible. If you are annoyed, change seats or appeal to someone in the family group for help.
2 Try to sit in an aisle seat. This will make it easy to get up and change seats quickly.
3 Avoid sitting in dark corners and in the rear rows of the mezzanine or balcony. These are the favorite gathering places for troublesome teenagers who are often bent on annoying un-escorted women.
4 If someone is bothering you and you can’t cope with it, don’t be embarrassed to raise your voice-yell! A scream in a movie house is sure to bring help quickly.
Restaurants, Bars, Cocktail Lounges, Bowling Alleys
1 Be wary of the “look-you-overs,” the type of man who scans, as if she were merchandise, every female who enters a public place. In almost every bar, respectable or otherwise, you will find this type of individual.
2 Don’t let a stranger “buy you a drink,” either via the direct approach or through an intermediary, such as the bartender, who says, “The gentleman in the corner would like to buy you a drink.” (Note: Most respectable places do not permit bartenders or waiters to serve drinks bought by strangers to customers.)
3 Don’t get involved in conversation with a stranger. If for some reason you do, however, don’t be quick to give him your name, to reveal where you work, where you live, or whether you’re married or single, or to give him your telephone number. And don’t accept a ride home!
WARNING: Always try to arrange in advance for your trip home. Have a male relative or friend pick you up; or set up a car, taxi, or bus pool. Plan ahead as to who drops whom off where. Make certain you and your friend(s) have arranged to leave at the same time.
4 Avoid getting drunk when you are drinking in a cocktail lounge or bar. That’s a sure invitation for trouble.
CAUTION: When leaving any public place, be absolutely sure you are not followed.
Make certain of this by observing closely anyone who leaves with you and keep watching for several blocks. If someone seems to be following you, change your direction immediately go into a store; get on a bus or into a taxi; JUST GET AWAY!
A COMMON-SENSE HINT THAT WILL PAYOFF IN SAFETY:
Frequent only respectable places-and that need not mean high priced ones. There are plenty of good, inexpensive restaurants, bowling alleys, movie theaters, and cocktail lounges. Go only to these; go to places where the management cares who comes there and discourages or ejects unsavory characters.