By Melody Hanatani
Daily Press Staff Writer

CITYWIDE It happens without warning, a woman rummaging through a bag for her set of keys, absentmindedly trying to open a door when an unknown hand from behind covers her mouth and forces her into the house.

The door shuts and unspeakable acts occur.

Assault, it happens without forewarning, but it can be avoided with precaution.

There have been at least two incidents of assault in the city of Santa Monica in the past half year on women who live alone in their residences, most recently one that resulted in the tragic death of Juliana Redding, a 21-year-old aspiring actress and model who was found dead on Sunday in her Centinela Avenue home.

Last fall a woman was assaulted in her Princeton Street home by a 17-year-old man from Oxnard who was believed to have been working on her house during the day.

The two incidents were unrelated but occurred on women who were believed to be living alone at the time.

When it comes to safety, it all comes down to the basics of being vigilant, whether it’s parking a car in a well-lit place or having keys ready in hand when opening the door, according to Lt. Alex Padilla of the Santa Monica Police Department.

Little everyday things, like carrying a whistle or a flashlight on a set of keys can mean the difference. It can mean purchasing fewer groceries that can easily be carried from the car to the house, decreasing the number of trips back and forth and the chances of being assaulted.

Women who usually come home late at night might want to invest in an outdoor light that is set on a sensor or timer, automatically going off when approached, Padilla said. Such a light would create visibility.

“It’s just being cognizant and aware of your surroundings,” Padilla said.

There are also measures that can be taken in advance, such as researching the Megan’s Law database to identify registered sex offenders living in the neighborhood and also checking for certain escape routes that can be taken within the home in the event of an attack, according to Suzanne Brown-McBride, the executive director of the California Coalition Against Sexual Assault.

“It would do everybody good to look at security devices in the home, access points,” she said. “Check to see if your locks are reasonable, identify escape routes if there is a home invasion.”

In the case of home invasions, the cardinal rule is to immediately contact the police if there are any suspicions that a burglary has taken place, rather than going inside to assess the damage or to see if the perpetrator is still there.

“If the door is ajar or the windows are partially opened or removed or damaged, walk away,” Padilla said. “Call the police and we will come out and investigate and we will walk through the apartment to make sure it’s safe.”

Perhaps the most important precautionary step to take is to get to know thy neighbors.

Brown-McBride said that neighbors can be a resourceful crime-fighting tool, keeping an eye out for suspicious activity, noticing if a stranger is driving by or coming near the residence frequently.

“It’s not just about single women feeling safe, but how the community takes responsibility for each other,” she said. “Ideally a neighborhood is so connected to one another so it’s not one person who is uniquely responsible for their own safety.”

“That is how an area becomes less desirable [to predators],” she said.

Padilla concurred, adding that there is strength in numbers.

“The [strength in numbers] that women have are those of her neighbors and being able to know who they are,” Padilla said. “It’s for them to know you so you can feel comfortable calling on them if you need them.”

Women can also always opt for some self-defense training.

Nelson Nio, a Brentwood resident, founded the Shield Women Self Defense training course five years ago after a co-worker was attacked while she was walking from her apartment in Costa Mesa, the incident leaving her scarred.

The program teaches women how to strike their attackers properly, keeping the right body alignment and staying balanced. The program also touches on words women can use to deter an attacker and how to most effectively scream.

“We practice yelling out from the abdomen, not from the throat,” Nio said. “It would create a blasting impact when you speak out from the stomach ... and it creates a sound blast that pretty much attracts attention to you, startling the opponent.”

Nio has taught the course across Southern California and offers regular training sessions through the Santa Monica Police Activities League.

“Every woman needs to learn something on self defense, not just precautionary but to know how to use your body,” Nio said.

melodyh@smdp.com