12 Personal Safety Tips for Social Activities

  1. Tell a trusted friend or family member about the social activity –where you are going, who you are with, and check in with your friends or a family member and confirm time expected home 

  1. Provide your own transportation- UBER/LYFT or drive your own car, take public transit, have cash, a credit card ready, or a designated driver ready  

  1. Don’t leave your food or drink unattended –spiked drinks can disorient or make you unconscious. Don’t accept a drink from someone unless you open it yourself or watch it being prepared by a bartender.  

  1. Drink responsibly   

  1. Go on group dates – go out with at least one other trusted person  

  1. You can do a social media search before your date and IF you find some questionable info or get a bad feeling, follow your gut and cancel  

  1. Don’t Give a Stranger Personal Details – does your new friend/date really need to know where you were raised or your mother’s maiden name?  

  1. Don’t give out your number too early –think twice before you hand over your phone number to avoid continuous calls and texts from someone you are not interested in.  

  1. Don’t post identifying info –your car’s license plate, street signs, house numbers (can reveal your home address), friend’s or families names/addresses, turn off geo-caches, set social media to private. 

  1. Meet in Public for the first few activities/dates –think restaurants, coffee shops, pretty much any public place (avoid parking lots, your place of work, school, home) 

  1. Avoid sharing Specifics – job title, company you work for, college you attend, or neighborhood  

  1. If it doesn’t feel right, don’t be afraid to block them – after you tell someone you’re not interested, never take their calls or emails again 

Resources: 

Humber Guardian for Android 

Humber Guardian for Apple 

 https://humber.ca/publicsafety/services/campus-walk