How to Protect Yourself as a Woman in 2024

As a woman, it’s important that you’re doing what you can to protect yourself. Despite the progress that has been made, women are still in danger. Whether in the home, at work, or out and about, protecting yourself is still essential in 2024 - sadly.

While progress continues to be made in equality and fair treatment of women, here are some helpful tips to protect yourself.

Learn self-defense

Learning self-defense is something that might help you in the event that you get attacked. It’s an awful thing to think about but if you’re in a vulnerable situation where you’re alone with someone and they try to bring harm on you, it’s good to know some moves.

Some forms of self-defense can be effective at disarming a person, whereas others are going to keep a person from going any further in hurting you. It’s worthwhile taking these classes, even though none of those who take it, would wish to actually use it.

Arm yourself where possible

It’s not always possible to arm yourself, especially if you’re in a country that doesn’t allow you to carry and conceal a weapon. However, there are other items that aren’t illegal to carry but could do enough to deter an assault from going any further.

For example, certain sprays might be useful to have on your person. Of course, you need to be careful about what you carry on you but you do have the right to self-defense, should someone choose to attack you.

Buddy up at night

There are lots of dangerous scenarios in which women can find themselves that men wouldn’t even consider to be a threat. For example, walking home from work might just be a threat that you want to minimize as much as possible.

It might be worth finding a friend, work colleague, or family member that you can walk back home with when the situation arises. While it might not always be possible, buddying up might be helpful to do more of where you can.

Let others know where you’re going

Protecting yourself often goes beyond just your physical defense, it’s also about what you do that can influence your risks. For example, you might want to let others know where you’re going.

When you’re meeting up with someone you don’t know, or you have plans, text or call someone you trust to let them know where you’re going and that you’ve arrived safe. By doing so, you help protect yourself and trigger a red alert when you don’t respond to their texts or calls.

Educate the men in your life

Finally, something that we can all do and encourage is to educate. While women can do everything they possibly can to avoid risk, it’s often men who are the assailants in crimes that are committed against women.

From celebrities like Bryan Freedman and Harvey Weinstein to your next-door neighbor and work colleagues, call out bad behavior and ensure the good men are doing enough to play their part.

These tips will hopefully help protect yourself as a woman this year, so be proactive in your efforts.