5 Common Dangers at the Beach:

• Rips - Strong currents that can sweep an unsuspecting swimmer out to sea. Make sure to swim sideways to the direction of the rip if you get caught.

• Dangerous Creatures - Australian beaches contain various venomous, poisonous and otherwise dangerous creatures. Researching dangerous marine life in your area before going to the beach can ensure your safety.

• Strangers - If strangers at the beach can pose a threat to you, make sure you go in an area with lifeguards, or go with friends and trusted adults. This will significantly decrease the chance a malicious stranger may do something.

• Dehydration - Swimmers often don't realise how much they are sweating while in the water. This leads to dehydration in many beach-goers. Make sure you take regular drink breaks, packing a large amount of water and knowing where drinking fountains are to stay hydrated.

• Extreme Weather - Storms and strong winds can create large, dangerous waves and unsafe swimming conditions. By checking the weather online, before visiting the beach, you can make sure you aren't visiting during dangerous weather. Be ready to leave the beach if the conditions become too unsafe.

Rips are areas of near-shore water that have a strong current pulling away from the beach, and being caught in one can result in getting swept out to sea. In some cases, these rip currents will lead back to shore after going out from shore. The best way to stay safe when caught in a rip is to swim perpendicular to the rip, generally horizontal to the shore. However, a common misconception is that rips can only occur straight out from the beach when in fact they can also occur diagonally in the form of a feeder rip. To identify a rip, look for areas where the current is visibly moving opposite to the waves, or where there is no foaming on the surface of the water. Rips will look darker than the water around them, and there are usually clear differences between rips and safe water. The best way to avoid rips is to swim in areas marked between flags, as they will always be patrolled and regularly surveilled for rips.

According to the Surf Life Saving website, 26 people die due to rip currents each year, and they are by far the single greatest hazard to swimmers on Australian beaches. In 2021 alone, 3.7 million people reported being unwittingly caught in rips while swimming on Australian beaches, and more than a quarter of these people required assistance from lifeguards to return to shore safely. As mentioned above, swimming near lifeguards services are crucial to remaining safe on the beach, and according to the SLS, the majority of rip-related deaths occur more than 1 kilometre away from relevant coast guard/SLS services.

https://sls.com.au/rips-remain-most-deadly-hazard-on-australian-beaches/

When going on a bushwalk, there are various things to consider. Firstly, researching the length of the hike will inform you of the resources you need to bring (food, water, tent, changes of clothes). To ensure you have enough water, it is recommended by the Australian Hiker that you drink at least 600ml of water per hour, while a liter per 10 kilometers is sufficient in cooler months. In terms of food, slow-burn energy dense foods such as nuts, dried fruit, and muesli bars are great as snacks. Bagged or canned meals such as stews, beans, bread dough and various pre-cooked proteins are great for longer hikes, especially with access to a campfire. Speaking of campfires, you need a fire-starter such as waterproof matches, a lighter or a flint and steel. A utility knife is useful for gathering kindling and other useful activities.

As this is a longer hike, things such as non-perishable foods are essential. This hike has sections that range from Grade 3 to Grade 5 in difficulty on the Australia Walking Track Grading System, particularly sections 4, 5 and 9 are all rated the highest grade of 5. This means that they are recommended for only extremely experienced hikers with both emergency first aid training and other specialised skills, along with a high level of fitness. The NT government website states that Grade 5 tracks are "likely to be very rough, very steep and unmarked". Due to this, lengthy preparation and planning is required before undertaking this hike due to the difficulty and lack of marked track in some sections.

I chose this hike because it is both a famous Australian hike, and my old English teacher told me about his journey on this track, so it is quite memorable to me.

• No visibility of the ocean: by not being able to see the ocean, a swimmer could hurt themselves on underwater hazards such as rocks and debris, or fall off the edge of a sandbar.

• Rips: As mentioned in the beach safety section, rips are a huge hazard, and without active coast guard or other patrolling services, the risk is increased dramatically.

• Marine Life: dangerous marine life such as jellyfish, certain types of octopus, sharks and other venomous creatures live near Australian shores, and at night, a swimmer will not be able to see these creatures.

• Passing out while in the water: overconsumption of alcohol can result in passing out, and if this happens while in the water, the person can drown.

• Poor judgment due to inebriation, resulting in unnecessary risk taking (diving into shallow water, swimming far from shore etc.): the mental impairment that alcohol can cause might result in people taking risks and placing themselves in dangerous situations. This is especially true when with friends or in a social setting, where risk taking may improve your social status.

• Dangerous strangers: a gathering in a public place such as the beach may attract undesirable seeking alcohol or a party, and if they are denied from joining the gathering, they may turn violent. This is always a danger when holding gatherings in public spaces. Especially at a beach, where residential areas may be a considerable distance away.

• Exhaustion: overextending yourself while in the water can result in muscle exhaustion or even drowning. Alcohol and the environment of a party might reduce your ability to regulate and listen to your bodily responses, placing yourself in a situation where you are dangerously exhausted.

• Dehydration: swimming in the best of cases requires a close monitoring of hydration levels, as the amount you sweat while in the water is invisible, and many swimmers often become dehydrated without the context of this situation. over 67% of young swimmers were found to be inadequately hydrated during sessions. This risk worsens with the distractions of a beach gathering environment.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8003718/#:~:text=This%20issue%20is%20also%20observed%20in%20young,unit%20in%20an%20inadequate%20state%20of%20hydration.

• Assault/danger from other members of the gathering: there is always a risk that people at this gathering will become dangerous. a beach at night is not a place where many members of the public will be. So if the group becomes rowdy, there if definite danger to anyone at the gathering.

• Inability to swim due to inebriation, resulting in drowning: general motor control is reduced when under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol and swimming in this state can result in drowning.

To prevent and reduce risks:

• Large lights around the area and shone on the water to ensure everyone is visible. This helps with seeing anyone in danger in the water, ensuring that people can get help if they need it.

• A guest list/head count, if someone is unaccounted for, a search and rescue can be conducted immediately, rather than realising someone hasn't been seen for a while and then deciding to look for them. This also reduces a risk of strangers or undesirables entering the gathering and disrupting it.

• Scout out the area beforehand, and make sure any relevant underwater structures such as rocks and reefs are known, to prevent injuries while swimming.

• While the safest option would be to not let anyone enter the water, it is inevitable in this environment that someone will. To minimise the risk, a private lifeguard service can be hired, such as happyswimmers, who can monitor the event and keep everyone safe. https://www.happyswimmers.com/au/private-event-lifeguard/

Overall it is key to plan ahead and think of all risks involved with a gathering or event such as this. And making safety measures before the event keep everyone safe and happy.

The three most important safety rules while driving on the road are:

• Wear a seatbelt: wearing a seatbelt ensures that you minimise harm to yourself if you do end up in an accident. According to TransportNSW, a passenger or driver involved in an accident has a doubled risk of serious injury or death if they aren't wearing a seatbelt. (https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/roadsafety/topics-tips/seatbelts#Facts_and_tips)

• Following traffic lights and signs: Busy intersections and dangerous road areas such as highways and carparks often have signage and lights that signal when and where cars go. It is crucial that all cars follow these signals so that they are moving predictably and safely. Following traffic lights and signs not only keeps you safe, but keeps you predictable, so other drivers don't crash into you.

• Obeying the speed limit: along with stop signs, traffic lights, and other signs, the most important is arguably the speed limit signs. The speed limit in residential areas is often 50km/h, and this is because it is a speed that is slow enough for a driver to react to most unexpected situations. Speeding results in an inability to react, potential to lose control of the vehicle, and significantly increasing the danger of entering a car accident. Obeying the speed limit reduces the danger you pose to yourself and others while driving a car.

If older me came from the future to give me some strategies to stay safe, it would probably be, drive slowly when you're unsure of the conditions even if the marked speed limit is high, for example when it is wet or low visibility exercise more caution so that you can ensure you stay safe. Another is to always assume that other drivers are going to act unpredictably and irrationally, because assuming the worst case prepares you for anything that might cause an accident.

This film addresses the issue of consent through an example that reflects a real and dangerous situation that many women can go through. A woman being taken advantage of after getting drunk at a club, and someone with malicious intentions taking advantage of their vulnerability to try and have sex with them. This is a common situation in rape cases, especially among young adults who may be out partying or clubbing often. In fact, the prevalence of rape in Australia is extremely concerning, in 2023, 1 in 5 women over the age of 15 reported experiencing sexual violence, and 1 in 16 men reported the same.

2. How does the film challenge societal attitudes towards victim-blaming and the way survivors of sexual assault are shown in the media as 'having done something to deserve it'?

The film uses dialogue and the sudden twist of the girl not actually being impaired by drugs or alcohol to make the audience rethink the situation, and be confronted by the actions of the man. By perhaps using some exaggeration and characterisation to make the man a disgusting individual, it demonstrates how it is invalid to blame the victim, as she clearly did nothing wrong, and was coerced and forced by the perpetrator. By understanding that this kind of situation is always driven by the perpetrator helps reduce victim-blaming and challenge societal attitudes towards blaming survivors of SA. The use of a man as the aggressor in this situation is extremely reflective of real life, as the fact is 97% of all rape offenses in Australia are committed by men.

3. Discuss the role of alcohol and intoxication in the films narrative and how it intersects with discussions of consent and vulnerability.

Alcohol and intoxication serve as a useful device for exploring exploitation of vulnerability and societal truths. In this case, alcohol creates an imbalance of power between the perpetrator and the victim. By impairing physical and mental ability, along with reasoning skills, the victim is unable to resist the malicious advances of the aggressor. By putting the victim's ability to consent in question, alcohol sets up a situation for potential sex offenders to be revealed. Ultimately, alcohol and intoxication is a primary driver to uncover the real-life problems of SA and exploitation due to power imbalance. Additionally, if the lady was truly under the influence, she may not even have remembered being sexually assaulted, further worsening the situation.

https://www.casahouse.com.au/resources/statistics-about-sexual-assault-in-australia