Tips on how to avoid and prevent rape?

A woman is raped in India every 20 minutes. Rape is an act of violence perpetrated against another person. The topic of rape is not a pleasant one, but it is a subject that women of all ages, races, and nationalities should take seriously enough to find out about.

Woman Slapping Man In the past, people felt safe and secure behind the locked doors of their own homes. Studies have shown that the female rapes that took place in 2000 happened inside the victim’s own homes. It is hypothesized that rape is homologous to similar behavior in other animals. "Human rape appears not as an aberration but as an alternative gene-promotion strategy that is most likely to be adopted by the losers in the competitive, harem-building struggle. If the means of access to legitimate, consenting sex is not available, then a male may be faced with the choice between force or genetic extinction."

Ways to prevent rape

The first reaction is to get away from that danger as quickly as possible and run away screaming for help.
Learn how to defend yourself from an attack. Take a self-defense course, martial arts, or boxing. Carry pepper spray. When in public, walk confidently and purposefully. Do not act distracted or uncertain. Do not walk around in public chatting on a phone or texting. If you exercise outdoors, do not wear headphones. Vary your routine.
Areas: Even if it is daytime, late hours, or at night, avoid risk areas such as dark places, dimly lighted areas, lonely places, bushy areas, short-cuts, and being alone in a room with a man other than your husband, fiancé, or brother.
Alertness: Walk with eyes and ears open, so that you know what is happening around you. Antisocialists can grab you, knock you down, tear your clothes, or even use drugs.
Mode of dressing: When you are at home, school, place of work, or anywhere else, make sure you wear clothes that do not embarrass you, or which attract too much negative attention from men/boys.
When a man starts seductive signals, praises, and giving you gifts, be careful to avoid and say no to all these.
Use your cell phone as a safety tool. Make sure it’s fully charged before you go out, and if you find yourself in a sketchy situation
Company: It is a good practice especially when it’s late to walk in the company of known friends, workmates or schoolmates. In case antisocialists strike, they can easily raise alarm and get help when you are many.
Do not accept money, sweet things, and snack foods from people you do not know, watchmen, or even male neighbors.
Do not accept lifts from people you do not know, these could be cars, bikes, or motorbikes.
Suspicion: Never trust men completely unless he is your husband or fiancé. Antisocialists can be strangers or people whom you know well; they do not have outward signs.
Parental guidance: Try to avoid sending your daughters late at night to the shops, river, other peoples’ homes’ or anywhere else. Do not leave your daughters no matter how young with male strangers or distant relatives you are not sure of.
Practice being careful when going into your house or car because someone could easily push you in and lock the door behind you. Be aware of your surroundings; carry your keys ready in your hand and look around you before opening the door.
Keep personal information private. Don’t advertise your info verbally or on the Internet. Also, be very wary of meeting up with anyone whom you meet on the Internet. There is never a good reason to meet up with a person whom you have never met in person, or who talks you into meeting up when you are hesitant. If you think you must do so, bring someone else, preferably a friend who is older, and meet the person in a public place.
Walk with confidence. Look up as you walk and stand up straight; pretending as though you have two big panthers on either side of you as you walk may sound silly, but it can help boost confidence. Attackers are more likely to go for those who they think cannot defend themselves.
Make eye contact if you are being followed by someone who you think is a potential threat. An attacker may be less likely to strike if they think you will be able to clearly identify them.
Be mysterious online. Think twice before leaving status or away messages and when using the check-in feature on Facebook or Foursquare. Posting your whereabouts exposes details that are accessible to everyone, and allows people to track your movements. Think of it like this: If you wouldn’t reveal the info to a stranger, then don’t put it on your profile.
Avoid going out at night. If you happen to be out at night, make sure it is a well-lit, crowded, main street and you are with at least one other person. Carry your cell phone in your hand ready to make a call, and, if you have one, a key in the other one to be used as a weapon.
When at home, play it safe by never letting people into your home that you do not know. If it is a handyman, cable repair, etc., tell them you need to see a photo ID and their truck. If you don’t trust them instantly then do not let them in. If they do not look you in the eyes, have a photo ID, drive a truck with the company name on it, or wear a uniform, that is suspicious behavior. Do not let them into your home! Ask them to call the company while they wait outside then have the company call you or call the company yourself.
Do not be distracted, especially by technology. Do not jog with your iPod because attackers are looking for easy, distracted individuals who look like they are not paying attention to their surroundings. The same can be said for talking on your cell phone. But, on the other hand, if you feel someone is following you, pull out your cell phone and pretend to be talking to someone because your "conversation partner" would be aware of an attack. If your potential attacker is going for "no witnesses," they might back off and change their mind. You can even pretend you are meeting up with someone and they are already here/heading this way VERY soon. Don’t say "5 minutes" or the attacker may only decide to take action quicker. If they think you are in safe hands or will be in less than a minute, they might back off.
Be aware of your surroundings at all times. Parking lots and parking garages are two of the sites that are most often targeted by attempted rapists. These men are predators, so view your surroundings carefully. If you are in a parking lot and feel someone is following you, start making noise - talk to yourself loudly, talk to an imaginary person, or pretend to talk on your cell phone. The louder the potential victim, the more the predator is apt to freeze.
Carry defensive items only if you know how to use them. Remember, any "weapon" that could hurt a potential attacker can be used against you if you are not well trained and comfortable with it. Remember that even an umbrella or purse can be used as a weapon against an attacker, and has less chance of being turned against you.
Understand that Vans are the #1 vehicles used in rapes. Rapists will park next to the driver’s side and, as you are trying to get in, they will pull you into the van. If there is a van on the driver’s side of your car, go in through the passenger’s door. If there are vans on both sides, go back to where you were and get someone like a security guard to walk you to your car. Don’t park in any place that feels unsafe.

Keep in mind

Avoid situations and lifestyles that could lead you to be raped. Not all men are bad, there are only a few misbehaving most of them are very respectful, caring and good fathers, husbands brothers, uncles, grandfathers, neighbors, and friends. So do not condemn them in general.