Crime prevention tips

By taking a few simple steps every evening you can help protect your family, friends and community from becoming victims of crimes of opportunity. 

Follow the 9 p.m. routine by:

• Turning your outdoor lights on
• Closing the gargage door
• Closing and locking your windows and doors (house and vehicle) doors (house and vehicle)

What parents can do

• Remember what clothes your children are wearing each day in case they get lost. The more information the police have, the quicker they can locate your children
• Write your children's names and addresses on their clothing out of view, as children are less likely to fear strangers who know their names
• Teach your children to know their full name, age, telephone number, area code, city, and province and how to make both a local and long-distance phone call so that they can identify themselves and contact you if they run into trouble
• Being around other children or adults is a great way to reduce the risk of assault
• The more children know about their bodies and acceptable, safe behaviours, the safer they will be. Teach them the proper names of their body parts and that nobody has the right to touch them without your permission
• Discuss sexual abuse in an open and sincere manner, in the same way you would discuss other safety guidelines
• Children need to be told that their safety is important and that they can play a big part in staying safe. Encourage your children to always report back to you about strange or frightening things that happen
• To encourage an open dialogue with your children, tell them that you will not be angry with them about things that may scare or concern them. A good start is to talk to them in words you are comfortable with, such as,
  • "Your body is your own and no one should touch you or hurt you. If someone does touch you, say "No!" and then tell me"
  • "Sometimes friendly people, people you know, may do things or ask you to do things that are not nice. If they touch you or ask you to touch them, tell me"
  • "Always tell me if these things happen to you because I love you and I want you to be safe"

For online safety, teach your children to:

• never give out any personal information such as their name, address, telephone number, or the name and location of their school without a parent's permission
• tell you right away if they come across any information that makes them feel uncomfortable
• never agree to meet face-to-face with someone they have "met" online. If a parent agrees that such a meeting is possible, be sure it is in a public place and in the company of a parent
• never send their picture to anyone online without first checking with a parent
• not respond to e-mail messages that are rude, mean or that make them feel uncomfortable. They should tell a parent right away so that they can contact the system operator
• never give their Internet password to anyone other than a parent
  
  

Protect yourself from fraud

• Avoid suspicious contests, phone calls from “distant relatives”, travel club offers, retirement estates offered "site unseen", and telephone, text messages and email solicitation of any kind where you are asked to pay a deposit or other charge in advance. Contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501 to lodge a complaint or request more information
• Contact the police and your bank if anyone claiming to be a bank examiner calls and asks for assistance
• Be cautious of "just passing by" home repairmen offering repair work at a savings. Check the offer with a reputable repair company. Always inspect the credentials of anyone who contacts you or comes to your door and ask for references
• Never sign a contract that you have not read and fully understand
• Before investing money, get a second opinion from a spouse, financial advisor or lawyer
   

In your home

• Keep valuables in a safety deposit box at your bank. If this is not possible, keep them locked in a hiding place in your home. Mark valuable items for identification
• Don't keep large amounts of cash at home
• Never let strangers into your home - if they require assistance, ask who you might call to help them
   

In your community

• Never display large sums of money in public. Go shopping in pairs or in a group
• Carrying a credit card, banking debit card or a cheque is safer than carrying large sums of cash
  
• Some habits such as cashing cheques at month end are no longer considered safe. It would be wise to explore options for "direct deposit" or "direct payment" with your financial institution
• Walk in the centre of the sidewalk or corridor, away from doorways or alleys
• Walk only in well-lit areas and do not burden yourself with packages or a bulky purse
• If you suspect you are being followed, trust your instincts: cross the street, go to the nearest home, service station or business and call the police
• Get to know your neighbours and ask police if there is a Neighbourhood Watch or Block Parent program in your neighborhood

Additional resources

In your community

• Know your neighbours
• When walking, know where you are going
  
• Stay on well lit streets
  
• Don't obstruct your view with parcels that can slow you down
  
• Pay attention to your instincts - if your gut tells you not to go one way, choose another path. If you feel you are being followed, quickly assess your options. Can you run or change direction? Are there people nearby or houses or businesses to run to? Do what you can, fast. You may not be in danger, but it's best to play it safe

In your car

• When you are driving or parking your car, use common sense to protect yourself
  
• Lock your doors immediately after you get in your car
  
• Never pick up hitchhikers
  
• Do not stop to pick up stranded motorists. The best thing you can do is call someone like the police to assist
  
• Park in well lit areas and keep your vehicle locked when it is parked
  
• If your vehicle breaks down, raise the hood and switch on the hazard lights. Stay inside the car with the windows up and the doors locked. If somebody offers help, assess the situation to see if it is safe to accept assistance. Is the helper another motorist with a family, or a lone driver? If you feel unsafe, ask the helper to call for assistance
  
• Be alert getting in and out of your car. Always have your keys ready when you approach your car and check that no one is inside before you get in
  
• Do not keep your car registration and license in your car - they'll tell people where you live

Remember!

Simple precautions can reduce your risk of assault, but even the most alert and cautious person can still be victimized. If you are assaulted, call the police immediately - the sooner you report the crime, the better. Talk to someone who can help you deal with your feelings about the assault - a friend, a family member, or counsellor at a sexual assault centre.

The internet comes with risks, it creates opportunities for people who want to cause harm to have access to children. This phenomenon is known as Internet child exploitation (ICE) and can include:

• Grooming children online for the purpose of sexually abusing them. This might involve an adult pretending to be a child, befriending the child through online chat rooms, social networking websites, email, mobile telephone messaging, gaining their trust, or stalking their online activities
  
• Asking a child or young person to participate in non-contact sexual activities such as engaging in sexual conversations online or via mobile phone
  
• Asking a child or young person to take and share sexual images of themselves, or another young person, online or through a mobile telephone
  
• Asking a child or young person to display sexualised behaviours or perform sexual acts that are recorded and shared live via webcam
  
• The creation, storage, and distribution of child sexual harm images and/or video
  
• Arranging to meet a child or young person in person for the purpose of sexually abusing them.

Spending time online is a reality for most youth. By being aware of the potential dangers associated with using the Internet, guardians and youth can decrease their likelihood of being victimized.  

Online safety tips for youth

Anyone can pretend to be something or someone they’re not. Although you may think you are chatting with someone your own age, it may be an adult who is trying to harm you by sending or asking for sexual pictures.

• Photos or videos you post on the Internet, text, or direct message may not stay private
  
• Sexting naked pictures with your partner may seem harmless, but it’s against the law for anyone to have, to take, send or receive sexually explicit pictures/videos of a person under 18 years of age, even if the person is you
  
• Get permission from a safe adult before you share pictures or video
  
• Don’t post your name, age, address, or where you go to school online
  
• Tell a safe adult if you see something online that make you uncomfortable, scared, is sexual or if someone asks you to keep secrets for them

Tips for parents

• Educate yourself on the technology your children are using, and the language used on the Internet
  
• Stay involved and know what games your child is playing, what apps they are using, the videos they are watching, their social media accounts and the accounts they subscribe to. Much of this information is stored in your internet browser’s search history or on their social media accounts
  
• Pay particular attention to games that have a chat component. Be cautious about allowing your child to chat with their opponents
  
• Follow computer best practices such as installing anti-virus, firewalls, and keeping your software up to date to protect against hackers
  
• Know the social media sites that your child uses and ensure that their online diary, profile, and photos do not contain identifying information
  
• Reinforce the public nature of the Internet and make rules with your child to ensure they know what is safe, what to do when they encounter something unsafe, and how to get help. This might include making an agreed upon list of accounts they follow or apps they use, or an approval process for following new accounts

Know the signs of Internet child exploitation

Parents know their children better than anyone else. If you suspect that something is not right, trust your instincts. Trust your instincts. Children may act sad, depressed, fearful, or secretive for many reasons, so it is important to try to find out why your child’s behaviour might have changed, especially if the changes interfere with your child’s life.

Additional resources 

Identity (ID) theft is a serious crime. It takes place when a scammer uses your personal information—without your knowledge or consent—to commit fraud or theft. Learn how to recognize and report ID theft, fraud, and scams and how to guard your personal information against these types of threats.