A friend and I were discussing assaults, both sexual and otherwise,

[yardwork]

1. Most sexual assaults are not stranger abductions.

A woman is more likely to be assaulted by a domestic partner or date than by a stranger.

It's important to stay alert. If you're at a bar, watch your drink. That cute guy next to you who seems nice might be planning to drug your drink, take you someplace, and assault you.

Likewise, the boyfriend who seemed so sweet until very recently might have undisclosed anger issues, and as you settle into your relationship some frightening behaviors might emerge.

Or maybe a woman is recently married. She ignored some red flags earlier in the relationship, but things are getting worse. Might be time to put together an escape plan.

There's a column here on DU reminding people that if your partner abandons you on a mountain, never see them again.

Women's biggest vulnerability is that we're taught to be polite and not cause a scene. Sometimes a scene is exactly what's needed, but even more frequently what's needed is for us to trust our guts and instincts.