Women and
Family
Security
DuringTravel
Your family
is at the
center of
your
personal
universe.
Most people
would do
almost
anything for
the sake of
their loved
ones . That
would
include
protecting
them from
anticipated
danger and
harm while
traveling on
business or
on a
vacation.
This becomes
increasingly
difficult,
at times,
because we
live in an
open society
where we
share the
same public
places as
the violent
criminals.
This is even
more
burdensome
in
unfamiliar
surroundings
that we
might visit
while on a
combined
business
vacation
trip with
our family.
Family
Travel
Security
Plan
Whenever
your family
walks out
the front
door your
home they
leave that
zone of
protection
that you
have
created. The
secret to
keeping your
family
reasonable
safe once
they leave
home is to
have a
family
security
plan. To
develop a
family
security
plan you
must give
careful
thought to
the public
routines of
each family
member and
think of
ways to make
them safer
from the
violent
people in
the world.
The best way
to
accomplish
this is to
hold a
family
meeting to
discuss this
plan and
play
what if
games using
different
scenarios.
For example,
what if
we need to
stay
overnight in
a hotel and
you get
separated?
What steps
should we
take to make
the process
safer?
What if
we want to
go to the
swimming
pool or gym?
What
precautions
can we take
to be safer
in the
parking lot?
What if
someone
approaches
to rob us
while
walking to
our car on
the street
at night?
What would
we do and
how would we
react? Where
would we go
and who
would we
notify in
case of
emergency?
Always have
a personal
protection
item
available to
you, such as
a
Personal
Alarm, a
Stun Gun,
or
Pepper Spray.
Planning
is
Everything
Most people
have no such
family plan
and have not
met as a
family to
discuss
what if
situations.
When or if a
criminal
assault does
occur, the
family will
not be
prepared and
will have to
rely on
instinct in
response to
the
incident.
What if
their
response
instincts
are wrong or
their
reactions
inappropriate,
under the
circumstances?
We read
about these
cases all
the time in
the
newspaper or
hear about
them on
television.
For example,
where a
child was
walking in
an
unfamiliar
place and
was tricked
into a car
of a total
stranger and
kidnapped.
Hotels
and Motels
When
traveling on
business or
pleasure
with your
family, it
may become
necessary to
stay
overnight in
a hotel or
motel. Your
hotel room
becomes your
home for the
night and is
your
sanctuary
while you
sleep. It is
important to
give some
thought to
what hotel
or motel you
select and
what room
you are
willing to
accept. The
cost of the
hotel room
is not
always a
good
predictor of
how safe the
room or
property
will be.
There are a
few rules of
thumb that
should apply
to any hotel
room you
rent.
Room
Location
Always
request a
room on an
upper floor,
if possible.
Ground floor
rooms are
more
vulnerable
to crime
problems
because of
access and
ease of
escape. In a
high rise
building,
rooms above
the fifth
floor are
usually
safer than
those below,
again
because of
accessibility
and ease of
escape.
Criminals do
not want to
be trapped
on an upper
floor inside
a high-rise
hotel.
High-rise
buildings
usually have
fewer ground
level access
points and
are easier
for the
hotel staff
to monitor
who passes
through the
lobby after
hours.
Room
Security
Features
Hotel or
motel rooms
should be
equipped
with a
solid-wood
or a metal
door for
best
protection.
Room doors
should have
a deadbolt
lock with a
one-inch
throw bolt.
If the lock
looks worn
or there are
pry marks
around the
lock area,
get another
room or move
to another
hotel. The
knob lock
should be
hotel-style
where you
can push a
button on
the inside
knob and
block out
all keys.
This feature
is designed
to prevent a
former guest
or
housekeeper
from
entering the
room once
you are
inside.
Hotels with
electronic
card-access
have the
advantage of
being able
to disable
former
key-cards
issued to
other
guests. The
room door
should have
a wide-angle
peephole so
you can view
who is at
the door
before
opening.
ALWAYS bring
a
portable
Personal alarm
and one of
our
Diversion
Safes
with you
while
traveling.
Do
not rely on
door chains
or swing
bars to
secure the
doors when
you peek out
to speak
someone.
Teach your
children not
to open the
door to any
hotel room
without
knowing the
person on
the other
side.
Make sure
all windows
and sliding
doors are
secured if
they are
accessible
from the
ground. It
is a good
idea to pull
on all
windows and
glass doors
to test if
they are
secure.
Beware of
balconies
where
someone can
climb from
one to
another and
enter
through an
open window
or sliding
door. If the
windows or
sliding
doors are
not
securable,
ask for
another room
or find
another
hotel.
Supervise
Children
Children
should not
be allowed
to wander
around the
hotel
grounds
unsupervised.
Every person
at a hotel
or motel is
a stranger
and it is
difficult to
determine
who is a
registered
guest, who
is safe, or
who has
criminal
intentions.
Do not leave
a child at
the pool or
gym
unsupervised.
These areas
are the
prime
targets for
predators.
Advice
for Female
Travelers
If you
are a woman
traveling
alone or
with small
children,
take
advantage of
car valet
service, if
available to
avoid the
parking lot.
After
checking in
at the desk,
ask the
bellman or
desk clerk
to escort
you to your
room. After
unlocking
the room,
quickly
inspect the
closets,
under the
bed, and
bathroom
including
behind the
shower
curtain
before the
bellman
leaves. When
you find a
suitable
hotel that
meets your
standards
and will
cater to
your needs,
try to stick
with it or
with the
same hotel
chain.
-
Request
a room
on an
upper
floor,
if
possible
-
A
solid
core
door
with a
good
deadbolt
lock is
best
-
Make
sure
your
door has
a
peephole
and a
night
latch
and be
sure to
use it
-
Use
your do
not
disturb
sign
whenever
you are
in the
room
-
Inspect
the room
hiding
places
upon
entering
and
check
all
locks
-
Supervise
your
children
at all
times
especially
at the
gym/fitness
room and
pool
-
Ask
the
bellman
for an
escort
and use
valet
parking,
if you
are
alone
