GOING ON A DRINKING DATE? BE CAREFUL!

Text: Juhi Dua 

The TISS student rape case that recently hit the headlines reminds us yet again of the perils of going on a drinking date with our so called male friends, without our alert mode on. Yes, you can’t completely avoid disasters, but by using your common sense and by taking some precautions, you can avoid date rape to a large extent. Here are some essential precautions you must observe at all times to ensure your own safety.

1. Always drink in limit
Remember that you are drinking to have fun and not to destroy yourself. So, go ahead and consume alcohol if you must, but only as much as you can handle without feeling the need to pass out. A large majority of date rape cases occur when the victim is too drunk, as in a drunken stupor, people are at their weakest and their sense of judgement is greatly blurred. Hence, never drink so much that you are unable to think, protest and protect yourself.

2. Say no to drinking on the first date
If you are meeting a guy for the first time, meet for a coffee or for a meal but give the alcohol a skip. This is because, however nice the guy may seem, you won’t know the demons that hide in his head until they come out. In fact, it’s best not to go drinking for the first few dates till you trust the man enough.

3. Take a girlfriend along
When going out with more than one guy, always ask another girl to accompany you as date rapes are less likely to occur in group date setting. If there are two of you, you can not only control each other’s over drinking but also ensure that both of you reach back home safely in time, without losing clear perception of things.

4. Carry some weapon always
Sounds farfetched, but I say: why not? Protecting yourself is both your duty and your right. So, carry what you must and use it if you must. A pepper spray is a good compact and effective weapon that can easily sit in our handbag always. It can be easily bought online.

5. Stay connected
Your mobile phone can be your biggest saviour, hence always carry it and keep it charged. Before going out, inform a trusted friend and encourage her to keep track of you on phone till you reach home. This way someone will find out if you get into trouble and will be able to make efforts to bail you out. Also, store the helpline numbers on your phone and have numbers of your trusted friends in the city on your fast dial as helpline numbers may not work always.

Apart from all these precautions, if you can arrange for a drive back home with a female companion, it would be great, as 90% of date rapes happen on the way home. At least try to arrange for a trusted female companion while you are being dropped. This will lessen the chances of a date rape by a large margin. 

Published on www.tips4me.com

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