Ellie Badass Personal Safety Tips for Women

Ellie Badass

A community where women share real personal safety tips, stories, and resources to help keep each other safe.

Real Women’s Safety Experiences

Learn from the women who’ve shared their stories, survival tips, and warnings to help protect others like you.

When I'm walking to my car and its dark, I keep my keys sticking out between my fingers of my dominant hand in case I need to fight someone off.

Home Alone Precautions

if i get home at night i come in lock the door behind me, check all my other doors, windows and make sure all my blinds are closed, REFUSE TO TURN ON ANY LIGHT, bc that gives away what room i may be in or that im even home until im not home alone…. also if im ever on a walk, hike, gym, j out and ab NO HEADPHONES

Dark Avoidance, Clothes for Safety

Don't go out after dark alone if I can help it. Let people know where I'm going, when I'm likely to get there. Check in when I reach my destination. Only have one headphone in so I can hear around me. Don't make eye contact with men. Move out of the way for men on pavements. Carry keys in hand as a weapon in quiet car parks. Pretend to be on a call with someone as I […]

Call Husband After Night Classes

When I was taking night classes in college my girlfriends and I would take turns driving everyone to their cars. Sometimes I didn’t have that protection either. In those cases I’d call my husband before I left whatever building and I’d have him on speakerphone as I loudly would tell him EXACTLY where I was the entire wall to my car. He knew to hang up and call 911 if […]

Trust No Man At First

For years now, I have assumed that every single man I meet is unsafe and not to be trusted. It’s on them to prove me otherwise. It’s served me very well and there’s a marked difference from the before times, when I didn’t make such assumptions.

Feigned Phone Calls for Safety

If I’m walking anywhere alone and see a man, any man, I pretend I’m talking on my phone with my car key between my fingers.

Park by Cart Return

I always try to park next to the grocery cart return or in front of the store so I'm not alone for long.

Knife, Mace, Torch Readiness

Pocket knife, mace gel spray, and flame torch. Gun at the front of the house by the door. Leaving from home or heading home awareness of garage door being opened. Walking towards car love my newer car where the door unlocks when the key gets close no more fumbling with keys. Also no more beep to alert someone I’m trying to get in my car. Know how to call ER numbers […]

Practice Situational Awareness

Depending on the area you live/work, practice situational awareness, and be mindful of the situations you put yourself in. Don't be afraid to ask coworkers o […]

He changed his mind when I said I was bringing someone

I’m a 22 year old female for context. While I was living at uni by myself i messaged a man who had a ps2 for sale on Facebook, it was a really good price and […]

Do not let your Uber Driver cancel your ride while in the car

Sorry this is a bit long, I know this isn't a therapist office but this has bothered me for a long time and I wanted to just get it off my chest. This happen […]

"I think your daughter may have been drugged"

When I (female) was in the 7th grade (12-years-old), I would experience nausea, vomiting, and extreme sleepiness after spending the night at the house […]

S.I.N.G.

S.I.N.G. is my go-to first self defense lesson for my friends. Solar plexus, instep, nose, groin. Solar plexus is great for stunning someone, instep to break […]

BITE

Chew their fucking skin off, chomp on to the face/arms/legs/anything, go full on zombie mode, go for the eyes and work to rip things like lips and ears off

Safety Support for Women

Women’s safety goes beyond self defense moves and pepper spray. Real protection comes from confidence, community support, and the stories of women who’ve been there.

You’ll find real stories and advice from women who understand, because they’ve lived it. Every story shared here is anonymous. No emails required, no personal information stored. Just real experiences that could help another woman stay safe.

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Red Flag Stories

Trust your gut. These women share the warning signs they wish they’d recognized sooner.

It's Your Fault

He shoved me into the counter and then said "look what you made me do." I'M the one with a bruise but somehow I'M the one who caused it. He keeps saying if I didn't push his buttons this wouldn't happen. I'm starting to believe him.

Trapped in the Room

Last night he wouldn't let me leave the room until I apologized. He stood in front of the door. I wasn't allowed to eat or sleep until we "resolved this." I finally said I was sorry just to escape. I have no idea what I apologized for.

Empty Promises

He's been "going to therapy" for six months. Nothing has changed. He still yells, still breaks things, still blames me. I think he's just saying it to buy more time. I'm tired of waiting for different.

Check-In Interrogation

He needs a full report every time someone texts or calls. "Who was that? What did they want? What did you talk about?" I'm exhausted from explaining every single interaction in my day. My friends have stopped reaching out.

Trauma Minimizer

I told him about something that happened to me as a kid and he said "that wasn't even that bad, you should be over it by now." I haven't brought up my feelings since. I don't think he wants to hear them.

Love Transactions

He said "if you really loved me you'd let me see your phone." Also "if you loved me you'd skip girls' night." Now every time I set a boundary he questions whether I love him. Love shouldn't cost this much.

Sleep Deprivation

We fought until 4am even though I had work at 7. I kept saying I needed to sleep and he kept saying "we're not done talking about this." I was so exhausted I agreed to things I didn't mean just to make it stop.

Drunk Driver

He insists on driving even when he's been drinking. I've begged him to let me drive or call an Uber. He says I'm being controlling and dramatic. Last time I tried to take his keys he shoved me. I got in the car.

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