Personal Safety

You can make yourself less likely to be the victim of crimes like fraud, scams, mugging or assault by taking some sensible precautions.

Tips for personal safety

• don’t let someone you don’t know into your house
• don’t hand over your bank account details or your debit /credit card/pension book
• don’t hand out your personal details or passwords on social media
• don’t respond to emails or texts from organisations you don’t know

When out and about

• try to stay in bright, well-lit and busy areas, where you will feel and be safest
• try to look and act confident
• try not to be conspicuous about the valuables that you are carrying
• if someone tries to take something from you, it may be better to let them take it rather than to get into a confrontation and risk injury.
• if you use a wheelchair, keep your things beside you rather than on the back of the chair

Domestic violence

Domestic violence is abuse from a partner, ex-partner, or family member, which may be physical, emotional or sexual.

• Newcastle Integrated Domestic Abuse Service (NIDAS) offer 24 hour telephone support and emergency accommodation to those experiencing domestic violence and abuse in Newcastle.

Other Useful Information

Suzy Lamplugh Trust was founded to highlight the risks people face in their daily lives and to offer advice, action and support to minimise those risks. Their mission is to raise awareness of the importance of personal safety and to provide solutions that effect change in order to help people to avoid violence and aggression and live safer, more confident lives.

They have produced information on the following topics:

• Personal Alarms
• Transport Safety
• Safety at Home
• Internet Safety

Age UK‘s Guide to Staying Safe.

Useful links

You may also find these articles on InformationNOW useful

• Security For Your Home
• Security For Your Vehicle
• Adult Abuse
• Bogus Callers
• Keeping safe from an attack

Last updated: April 2, 2020