5 rules to protect yourself from being a victim of violence

June 19, 2017

Rule 1: Avoid bad situations

Seems obvious, however we often forget this and place ourselves in situations where we may be in danger: walking alone at night, taking a short cut through an unsafe part of town. The best way to be safe is to avoid dangerous situations in the first place.

 

Rule 2: Be aware of your surroundings

Building on rule one, also make sure that you are aware of your environment and surroundings. Is someone following you? Where is the quickest exit? Where are other people? Where is the closest lighted area? These are all things you should pay attention to so that you are prepared. Please put down your phone and pay attention.

 

Rule 3: Be confident

Criminals are smart, they prefer easy targets. So project an air of confidence, walk with a mission, carry yourself well. Let your body language tell a story, “I am not a victim, you will have a hard time with me, pick on somebody else”.

 

Rule 4: Be in control

As a society we are trained to be polite, to defer to others, to listen and respond. These traits can actually be dangerous in a confrontational situation. Be calm and take control of the situation.

Take the first action, be loud, draw attention to the situation, strike you attacker first. There are no rules, so do what you have to first and don’t wait for your attacker.

 

Rule 5: Leave the situation

Don’t engage your attacker on their terms. As soon as possible try to remove yourself from the situation. Whether that means running before they have engaged, pulling others into the confrontation, or fleeing the situation.

 

Bonus Rule: Be Prepared

Outside of avoiding a situation, nothing is better than being prepared. So follow the 5 rules above, but also explore self-defense classes so that you not only know that to do in a difficult situation, but you have trained repeatedly so that the techniques become muscle memory.

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