No-one is to blame for rape or sexual assault except the perpetrator. That is clear as day. If you suggest that women shouldn’t wear short skirts or travel alone, you’re a victim blaming douchebag who needs to have a serious word with yourself. But, sadly, we do live in a dangerous world, and we do have to take precautions. We lock our doors at night, shut windows when we go out, and so on.

A detective in the States has come up with a series of precautionary steps that women can take to minimize their risk of being a victim of rape or sexual assault. And this advice should be good, as it’s based on speaking to convicted sex offenders themselves about the methods they use.

So there you have it. Stay alert, have a healthy amount of suspicion towards strangers, and fight back.