Local assaults

There has been a rash of assaults on women right near where I live. These are women that are out on the street running or walking. Someone hops out from the bushes or a van and tries to sexually assault them.The Phinneywood blog has a couple of posts on the matter.A few of the suggestions I found interesting:

Do you know your location? Do you know the street names, hundred block? East, South, West, North? Could you tell the 9-1-1 call taker to where they need to dispatch responders?

and

If traveling alone, take a charged up cell phone with you if possible. Know what is available to you along your route. What time does that store open or close? Does that apt.bldg. have a security guard? Is there a payphone?

The first thing I thought of when reading this is along the lines of "you know, if someone is trying to drag you into a van, the last thing I'd do was politely excuse myself to make a phone call to 9-1-1."911 is what you call after the attacker is done raping you and has already left.This, if nothing else, is a very good reason for women (since, in this case, the targets are uniformly women) to get a concealed handgun permit, proper training, and a handgun. Many of the other suggestions I do agree with, like knowing your surroundings and not being afraid to take control of the situation. But the notion that a phone will save your life and that being what you rely on just seems completely disingenuous.