Over the past years, there has been a continuous rising number of people being attacked because of their sexual orientation. Although it is said that people are more tolerant nowadays, statistics show otherwise as the numbers continue to surge. If you’re going to check the FBI hate crime statistics, you will see that there have been 1,460 cases reported in 2007 while there were 1,415 reported from the year before. It may not be a big of jump from the previous number, but it still should be a cause of alarm.

If you’re afraid of becoming a victim of an attack, there are a few things that you can do in order to protect yourself. Here are just a few things you can do in order to prevent yourself from being a number in the statistic.

Always travel with companions – the first thing that you need to do to ensure your safety is to always travel with other people. Predators are generally more apprehensive to attack people by groups. Whether you’re traveling in broad daylight or night time, it’s always best to assimilate in a group.

Study your environment – if you’ve just moved into a new neighborhood, make sure that you study your environment first before you become too comfortable with it. This way, you’ll have an idea of the exact places that you’ll need to avoid and the type of people that you’ll be seeing day by day.

Steer clear of dark places – this rule applies to everyone, regardless of sexual preference and it’s one of those that shouldn’t dare be broken, especially by those who can’t avoid traveling at night. It’s in the dark corners that you’ll find predators lurking. You need to be sure that there are always people around you just in case you need help.

Keep your cell phone ready – wherever you are, you should make it a point to know your emergency numbers so that you can easily dial for assistance when you need it the most. It may be unnerving when that moment suddenly strikes so you need to prepare yourself by storing emergency numbers under speed dial.

Always let someone know your whereabouts – this is called leaving a trail. Whenever you leave the house, make sure that you let your friends and family know where you’re headed. This way, if ever something happens to you, your family and friends will be able to help the police track your whereabouts depending on the last thing that you may have told them. You don’t need to call in every 5 minutes when all it takes is a text message whenever you move to another location. By making it a habit to leave a trail, you’re ensuring your safety in the long run.

Since there’s no arguing with the statistics, it’s best that you take the matter of your safety into your own hands. As long as you follow the tips that you have just learned from this simple article, you can decrease your chances of becoming a victim of a hate crime.