Admit it. Everyone has some weird fear—starting with the Boogey Man under your bed. I, for one, am convinced that every time I get in my car at night, a mass murderer is hiding in the back seat waiting to chop me up, stir fry me and eat me for a midnight snack. If you become a victim of a crime, there is nothing you can do to heal the emotional and potentially physical damage it has caused you. But there are steps you can take to do everything within your power to prevent anything from happening to you.

“Be S.A.F.E.” said officer Chris Helms at a self-defense seminar for teachers Oct. 27. “Situational Awareness For Everyone.”

You can prevent “crimes of opportunity.” Most ‘criminals’ do not wake up in the morning thinking they are going to steal some old lady’s purse or shoot someone or rape someone. But they do come cross open windows and unlocked doors and think of them as “opportunity.”

Statistically, most violent crimes are committed in the victim’s home and by someone the victim knows or has seen before.

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Shut and lock doors and windows. All of them. (Criminals are people too; they know how to climb trees.)

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Don’t get sheer drapes. (If you want to find out if your drapes are sheer, ask any neighborhood boy over the age of 10.)

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Shut your blinds so they overlap upwards. (This way, tree-dweller peeping toms can only get a view of your ceiling, at best.)

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Don’t keep a hid-a-key within 100 paces of any exterior door. (And for God’s sake—don’t use those fake rocks. You think criminals don’t watch infomercials?)

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Be aware of your surroundings. (If a streetlight is out, know it’s out. Burglars like to test neighborhood defense systems.)

When you are heading toward your car:

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First of all, try to park in a well-lit area beforehand, even if it means you have to walk a few extra feet. And always lock your doors. (Don’t keep your extra key in the gas thingy—everyone knows that trick.)

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Walk with a purpose, car key in hand, and—again—be aware of your surroundings.

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When in your car, lock your doors immediately. Then buckle up and back up (Sitting around applying makeup in your vanity mirror attracts attention.)

If you see someone:

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Call 911. The operator will be more than happy to stay on the line with you until they know you are safe.

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If you are being followed on foot, run to your car and get in. (Remember, have your car key in hand so you don’t have to fumble with it at the door.) If they begin to catch up with you, throw any valuables you may have at them and run to the nearest well-lit public building.

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If you are followed in a car, use the “four right rule.” Four rights puts you back in the same direction. If the person is still behind you, they are most likely following you. Head to the nearest well-lit public building, preferably a police or fire station.

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If you come in contact with a person, the eyes and the groin are the most sensitive parts. A person can suffer multiple stab wounds without many lasting physical effects, but a person with a key suck in their eye, or a foot in their gonads will probably stop stabbing long enough for you to run away.

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If they have a gun and you can’t make it to your car, throw all valuable at them and run.

Avoid uncomfortable situations:

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Do not get in an elevator, a bus, a taxi or a date with someone who seems threatening. (It’s ok--no one’s going to sue you for discrimination). For taxi service, ask the phone correspondent what your driver’s name will be and what he/she looks like.

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If you are threatened in an elevator, do not press the emergency button. It will stop the elevator. Swipe your hand down all the buttons--every floor offers opportunity for escape.

Remember, any unwanted physical contact is considered assault. All unwanted sexual relations are rape is rape is rape is rape. If you become a victim of a crime, report it and prevent others from having to endure the same thing.