Baty, Katherine. A Girl’s Gotta Do What a Girl’s Gotta Do: the Ultimate Guide to Living Safe and Smart
This frank, informative book concerns all aspects of personal safety for women. Baty, known as the “Safety Chick,” appears on TV, writes articles, and gives presentations on personal safety based on her own experience of being stalked. The information, though brief, proves illuminating, e.g., five pages on self-defense aerosols like pepper sprays (how they work, foams vs. sprays, etc.) feature in the chapter on self-defense products. Other chapters are similarly broken into sections that contain tips for different realms, such as the home (draw the curtains) and work (have security escort you to your car). The advice is thoughtful and comprehensive, and while much is common sense, this book gathers it all in one place, much like Kenneth Shore’s Keeping Kids Safe: A Guide for Parents of Toddlers and Teens–and All the Years’ in Between. Baty’s friendly, open style succeeds in making learning about personal safety a positive experience. Recommended.
This review appeared in Library Journal. 128.3 (Feb. 15, 2003): p156. The galley was shredded on January 28, 2012.
