Mary and Nathan are a young newly married couple. One of the things they enjoy is visiting parks. They are fascinated with all the beauty and splendor offered in the park and the free price nicely fits their budget. They never really give much thought to safety in the park, because most of the time they go together.

There are lots of people there most of the time and they all seem friendly. One day while Jonathan was at work Mary, wanting to get some exercise, decided to take a walk in the park alone. She drove to the park and entered the gates. Being in the middle of the day, there were not many people, just a few joggers and walkers, so it seemed like a very peaceful place.

She began to walk the jogging trail joined by the few that were there. After a while the other joggers started to leave. Pretty soon it was just Mary and one other guy on the trail. Mary did not think much about it he seemed to be fully engaged in his own exercise.

On the next round of the trail Mary noticed the guy was gone, and she seemed to be alone on the trail. She decided this is a good time to leave. She had to pass a wooded area to get to the parking lot. Just as she was passing a man jumped from the brush knocked her to the ground. She hit the ground with such force that she was disoriented. The man then tried to drag her into the brush.

She screamed and fought as much as she could. At that time some other people were entering the park, heard her scream and rushed to help. The criminal saw them approaching and ran in the opposite direction. He was never caught and Mary suffered a broken ankle. Mary and Nathan still enjoy the parks but are more careful these days.

Safety is an issue you must take seriously when you visit a park. Each day our parks are scenes for horrific crimes. Rape, robbery, kidnapping and assault occur daily. There is no better place than a park for a criminal who wants to make a debut. The park is usually full of people in a relaxed mode and who have no reason to fear their surroundings. You do not expect to encounter crime when visit a park but the possibility does exist.

A cell phone to call for help is a necessity. Do not rely on it for immediate rescue. Never leave your kids unattended in a park. The reasons for this are obvious but many people fail to take even this simple life saving precaution. Just sit in a park one-day and count youngsters left unattended. These children may wander off and become targets of some of the dangerous characters that make the parks their home.

Safety in numbers applies when you visit a park. If possible you should visit the park in small groups of friends. You can enjoy their company and have an added layer of protection against criminals. Even if it is just you and your spouse that is better than going alone. Dense wooded areas often surround parks, which present opportunity for criminals. Be aware of the area surrounding your park.

Never go into a park after dark. As a safety rule for their patrons, many parks close after dark. Your chance of becoming a victim doubles after dark. Criminals know that security is not available during that time. The likelihood of a criminal getting caught at night is low. Save yourself the trouble do not go to the park after dark.

Parks are beautiful places of serenity and you and your family should continue to enjoy them. Realize that criminals use parks as havens and commit crimes on unsuspecting victims. When you visit a park, you should have a defense strategy in case of emergency. Be aware of your surroundings when you visit a park. Know that crime can happen at any time but the chance always increases after dark.