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Woman Shows How To Correctly Hold Your Keys If You're Feeling Unsafe

Woman Shows How To Correctly Hold Your Keys If You're Feeling Unsafe

Many women do this when they're walking alone at night, but there is one way that is best.

Jessica Lynch

Jessica Lynch

A TikTok user has gone viral for demonstrating the correct way to hold your keys in case you, God forbid, ever need to use them in self-defence.

Many women have carried keys defensively while walking somewhere by themselves in the hope they will have some way of fighting back against an attacker.

The classic method is putting individual keys between each finger as makeshift, pointy knuckledusters.

But TikTok user faesfx has highlighted why this is not only ineffective, but can also cause you to injure yourself instead of your assailant.

In the video, which now boasts 1.5 million views, she said: "I've seen a lot of women say they're carrying their keys like this to feel safe. If I punch, that key is going back into me and is going to hurt me.

"Instead, take your longest key, hold it like this," she said while gripping a skeleton key in her fist instead of between her fingers.

She plunged the key into her makeup bag, showing it to be far more effective.

"That key isn't going anywhere," she added.

TikTok
TikTok

She then showed both key-holding methods alongside a friend, illustrating how the classic method is useless when the attacker comes from behind. If you hold a key in your fist, it's a much better makeshift weapon in defending yourself.

Many were quick to praise the TikTokker for the useful PSA, with one user commenting: "This is amazing advice. I just wish it wasn't necessary. I'm sorry but we need to do better."

Another added: "It's sad that we have to do this but this is actually good to know. Thank you, I love when we look out for each other."

One suggested a smart idea, saying: "Try to get an old key, not for your house or car in case they steal it."

The keys between the fingers measure is just one of many precautions people utilise when they feel unsafe on a solo walk at night.

People have been mentioning on social media other methods they use during the journey.

One woman went viral for a post highlighting how normal it is for women to contact their friends, saying 'message me when you get home'.

Personal trainer Lucy Mountain shared a simple yet poignant image that every woman would undoubtedly recognise.

Explaining why she chose to use the universally-recognised message, Lucy said in the caption: "I don't even know how to word this because I feel like my words can't do justice to how many women are feeling right now.

"The deep sense of connection is one of fear. We have all shared our live locations. We have all changed our shoes. We have all held our keys between our fingers. We have all made phone calls, both real and fake.

"We have all tucked our hair inside our coats. We have all ran down dark roads. We have all theorised our escape routes."

She went on to say that she wished men understood that women are often fearful walking past groups of men and getting Ubers alone, adding: "Stop harassing women. Stop victim-blaming women. And stop burdening women with the weight of other men's actions."

Featured Image Credit: roanokecollege/Flickr

Topics: News, Interesting