Understanding the Fundamentals of Prevention

by Randy LaHaie

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Just about all self defense and police crime prevention sites contain lists of tips to reduce the risk of a violent or criminal encounter. The number of them can seem overwhelming. Where do you start?

A more practical approach to incorporating prevention tips is to understand the principles on which they are based. If you understand the fundamentals of prevention, you will be able to improvise safety strategies “on the fly” that are relevant to your needs.

We are all different and have different concerns and needs. The degree to which you incorporate safety advice depends on your circumstances, environment, risk potential and even your personality.

In this article, I’ll provide you with five categories of prevention tactics. I will then provide you with situation specific tips to help you understand how the fundamentals are applied. Don’t worry about memorizing them. Try to understand how they work. Decide whether the tip makes sense and whether it is useful to you.

Prevention Strategies:

1. Detection

Offenders do not want to get caught. By increasing your visibility to witnesses or by drawing attention to an assailant, it is less likely that a confrontation will be initiated. Awareness strategies and detection devices fall into this category.

2. Intrusion

An assailant can not assault you if he can not get to you. These tactics involve securing your environment to inhibit the assailant’s access to you. Keeping unwanted persons out of your home or vehicle or even placing a barrier between you and an attacker are examples of this principle.

3. Isolation

Offenders are far more likely to attack when you are alone. 96% of rapists check to see if the intended victim is alone prior to attacking. The greater the likelihood that an assault will be witnessed or interrupted, the less likely it is that it will be initiated.

4. Response

Responding to avoid an encounter is far superior to reacting to it once it has been initiated. Response skills start by paying attention to your surroundings and being able to detect and recognize when you are being targeted as a potential victim. This strategy focuses on locating and identifying potential dangers and responding in ways that are likely to discourage volatile situations.

5. Reaction

Reaction involves taking immediate physical actions when you confirm that you are being attacked or about to be. The more you know about what to do to ward off a physical assault, and the sooner you plan those actions, the more likely you will be successful at defending yourself and escaping to safety.

Source:   Preventative Strategies

Re-Published by: Dave Heuthe, American Kobe Jiu Jitsu Federation Black Belt & Certified Instructor. Dave provides group personal defense classes where lessons are taught in various locations, privately, at Bob Malvagno’s School of Self Defense, and through in-house work programs (e.g. -Fire Department, employer, churches & synagogues, community centers, etc.) in the Nassau County and Sufflok County, Long Island (LI), NY area. Dave’s business is to provide programs that help his students (adults, seniors, teens & children) master self defense. BECOME A CLASS MEMBER TODAY!

The Power of Presence

A good number of women who are attacked are chosen because of the way they presented themselves. Something about their posture told the assailant, “here is a weak woman, I can take her”. If you are scared out of your gourd, it will show.

Low self esteem or fearfulness looks like slouched shoulders; head down, arms folded in front or in pockets. Confidence looks like walking tall, shoulders back, head up, eye to eye contact, arms at the side. One statistic revealed that those trained in martial arts are less likely to ever be attacked because of the way they carry themselves. They’ve been trained to defend themselves and to not take a weak position. They have confidence.

Try this experiment. The next time you’re in a public place, mall, grocery store, the beach, no matter, walk past all the people and look them directly in the eye. You might want to smile a little or offer a “how ya doin’?” so they don’t think you’re stalking them. You’ll be amazed at the number of people who will not look at you. They’ll look down or away but not at you. Of course, in some cultures it’s not proper to look people in the eye. Be sensitive to that. But in many circles you will find it hard to find 10 people who will look at you.

By you looking at them, in some subconscious way you’re communicating that you are not afraid. You’re not sending nonverbal clues that you lack confidence. To get into the practice of always looking people in the eye, take it one step further and see what color eyes they have. It only takes a quick glance, you’re not starring down people but if you make an effort to determine eye color, you can be confident that you’re properly looking people head on in the eyes.

Get your hands out of your pockets when you walk. Uncross those arms that are locked across your chest. Not only does it look stronger and friendlier to have open arms, it’s safer. Should the need arise that you need to thwart off a would-be attacker; you’re going to need your arms to free yourself. How easy it is for one to come up from behind you and grab you if your arms are tucked neatly away? You’re just making it easy. How can you poke out eyeballs, or jab Adam’s apples or throw an elbow to the ribs if your arms are hugging yourself.

“But I AM scared,” you confess. There are two things you can do about that. One is take some self defense classes and learn how to not be afraid. The other and immediate method to change how you project yourself is to fake it until you make it. You may be scared out of your wits, but if you get the self talk going, “I am NOT afraid” and get the body language to follow it, head up, shoulders back, arms open, then you’re at least giving the allusion that you are not a weak prey.

Half of your battle is in the mind. Do something about it.

The information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended to medically diagnose, treat or cure any disease. Consult a health care practitioner before beginning any health care program.

Emily Clark is editor at Lifestyle Health News and Medical Health News where you can find the most up-to-date advice and information on many medical, health and lifestyle topics.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Emily_Clark

Re-Published by: Dave Heuthe, American Kobe Jiu Jitsu Federation Black Belt & Certified Instructor. Dave provides group personal defense classes where lessons are taught in various locations, privately, at Bob Malvagno’s School of Self Defense, and through in-house work programs (e.g. -Fire Department, employer, churches & synagogues, community centers, etc.) in the Nassau County and Sufflok County, Long Island (LI), NY area. Dave’s business is to provide programs that help his students (adults, seniors, teens & children) master self defense. BECOME A CLASS MEMBER TODAY!

Control & Goals in Self Defense

ARTICLE REFERENCE LINK – Author is Sensei Trudy Fossey

http://www.akfkarate.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=19&Itemid=44

Self Defense Article – Personal Safety – Jan 2008
Tuesday, 01 January 2008
Personal Safety – Be Aware!

Sensei Trudy Fossey

4th Degree Black Belt

SAIT Karate Club

This article is written with a dual purpose in mind: one is for the individual to learn from and to research further with the web links; the other is from the teaching perspective, to begin with information which will encourage discussions with your class. I have compiled information from a wide range of sources. My hope is that instructors of the AKF will use this information to help them with the Self Defense aspect of teaching karate. Each article will focus on a different topic, to be used as a weekly or monthly lesson.

Gaining Personal Control
Most people think that they are safe, and that they don’t need to take a course in how to be safe, until something happens that gives you a scare. BUT, if you take a look at people’s habits, including your own, you can probably come up with a couple of habits that you can change and feel safer in your own environment.

Take a look at the whole issue of personal control – are you really in control of your life, or is life bouncing you around like a ping pong ball? If you are being controlled by a boss, spouse, your friends, your kids, your extended family, and you are constantly out of money, how can you feel good about yourself?

If you have more confidence in yourself, you can control your goals, your mood, and your feeling of well being.

How do you gain more personal control? Let’s start with your control over your personal items – your belongings, your money, and the image you portray to others. If you look more confident, you will feel better about yourself, and others will treat you with more respect. You are less likely to be picked as a target.

If you live with the principle of “confident kindness”, you will feel good about yourself and can be kind to others without being taken advantage of. You won’t feel like you need to manipulate others in order to feel more powerful.

Setting Goals

In order to control your life, you must have some goals, and everything you do will get you closer to those goals. For example, to control your money, you can start with figuring out what you have, decide what your goals are (pay off debt, or to buy a house), and educate yourself on how to achieve your goals. Most people spend too much on food and clothing – if you can control your spending, your have increased your cash flow.

Too Much Information!
To control you personal items and information, keep your items and information private! Don’t share them with whoever asks for them! For example, if you purchase something at a retail outlet, and they want all of your information for “their records”, unless it has to do with warranties, don’t give it to them. If a credit card company calls to confirm your number, or the last digits of your number, don’t give them any information – they should already have it. Ask them to mail their request to you.

Don’t give out your credit card numbers, etc., and be careful with chat rooms and internet relationships. Anything that is abusive in person is also abusive on internet – document it and call the police. People are not who they seem to be over internet – don’t give yourself away, or arrange to meet privately – always meet in a public place. Your routine should be kept private – be selective with who knows your routine because they can use this information to break into your house, or catch you alone somewhere. Identity theft is also on the rise. Keep a record of your credit cards with the phone numbers, in case they are stolen. Notify them right away!

Emotional Control
If your goal is to control your reactions to certain situations (example – someone pushing your buttons), you can predetermine some reactions that are more positive. Then you are not reacting with emotion. You can think about what reaction the other person enjoys, and don’t give them that reaction. If you can deny them a number of times, the behaviour will stop. If the abuse is physical or harmful to others, you MUST contact the police or another agency that can give you protection. DO NOT make excuses for this type of behaviour, or go back to the original relationship after the situation has calmed down.

What About Helping Others?
If you are aware that others are being treated badly (gossip, exclusion, derogatory comments, manipulation, emotional or physical abuse), you are a bystander. Your responsibility in this case is to report it, and if possible to support the victim. If the victim is you, the only choice is to protect yourself and leave the scene as quickly and safely as possible. If promises are made to comply so that you are not hurt, fight your way out! Do not trust that they are telling you the truth – their goal is for you to comply, and they will say anything to change your response.

Emotional Abuse
Emotional abuse is difficult to detect, and usually escalates from teasing. The victim usually feels that it is their fault, and as a result will take responsibility for the abuse. The cycle of abuse starts with an episode, then the excuses and the “I’m sorry – that will never happen again – I love you” conversation happens. This is followed by the honeymoon stage. The abuse will start up again, sometimes slowly and in a way that is difficult to pinpoint. Then there is another episode. This cycle usually happens quicker each time. Children of abusive families usually become bullies at school. It takes a lot of effort to make changes, but there are lots of agencies that can help. To do this on your own is extremely difficult!

How Can I Gain More Control?
Part of gaining control of your life should be to be in top shape, and knowledgeable in self defense. Take a Self Defense Course! Some of the techniques that you will want to learn are:

How to recognise a potentially violent situation.
How to release from grabs and holds
How to fall, get up quickly, roll forward and backward with break falls
How to use your power in palm heal strike, and kicks
Where to strike to cause “surprise pain” to gain a few seconds to escape, or to prevent the aggressor from following you.
How to block a strike
How to shift and use their momentum against them

Where to go for help

Where Can I Get Some Help?
Here is a website that is extremely helpful – there are a surprising number of agencies out there that are excellent!
Families and Children at Risk – City of Calgary

Re-Published by: Dave Heuthe, American Kobe Jiu Jitsu Federation Black Belt & Certified Instructor. Dave provides group personal defense classes where lessons are taught in various locations, privately, at Bob Malvagno’s School of Self Defense, and through in-house work programs (e.g. -Fire Department, employer, churches & synagogues, community centers, etc.) in the Nassau County and Sufflok County, Long Island (LI), NY area. Dave’s business is to provide programs that help his students (adults, seniors, teens & children) master self defense. BECOME A CLASS MEMBER TODAY!

Better to Learn a Little Too Early than a Little Too Late

When I was about 13 years old, I found myself in a situation with a boy. Specifically, I found myself on my best friend’s waterbed, with her boyfriend sitting on my chest while she took a shower in the next room.

“You know you want this,” he told me. I didn’t. We both knew it. I was pushing him back as best as I could.

About then, she walked in the door, yelled at me for “seducing” her boyfriend, and kicked me out of the house. I walked home slowly, dazed. In a biological sense, nothing had happened. In a psychological sense, my world had changed. I felt dirty. I blamed myself. And, as she spread the word about what I’d done, I lost friends. At 13, that’s a big deal.

I also had a lot of questions. Now, this happened quite a few years ago, and I attended a very religious private school where sex ed could be summed up in one word: Don’t. As in: You Don’t need to know about sex or boys or hormones because you Don’t need to be having sex. I’d broken one of their cardinal rules by putting myself in a situation where something was bound to happen.

For a long, long time, I blamed myself.

Then I came to a realization: I hadn’t done anything wrong. I didn’t ask to be put in that place and I didn’t bring it on myself. It took me years to come to that. Knowing that I lost friends over it still stings, but I realize real friends would’ve stuck by me and at least heard my side of the story.

If I had that night to live over, I wouldn’t have stayed at her house. I wouldn’t have agreed to let her boyfriend sneak in to go swimming, and I would have had my guard up when I sat on the edge of her bed waiting for my turn to shower.

But mostly, I wish I’d had the necessary education and mindset to get myself out of the situation. One kick or one punch and he would’ve been off of me. And instead of feeling guilty, I would’ve felt empowered. Instead of feeling like I’d done something wrong, I would’ve realized I can only control my own actions and reactions.

Some adults take the easy road with young teens and tweens when it comes to sex education by telling them to stay out of “bad” situations. And that’s all well and good. Abstinence education is fine. But it’s not the only answer.

The hard truth, the truth that parents and educators don’t want to swallow, is that things do happen. Sometimes it’s consensual, sometimes it’s not. And when it’s not, our children need tools to help them cope – during and afterwards.

What’s needed? First of all, children need situational education – and at a young age. If they’re going to have sex – and some of them are, earlier than you think – help them learn how to have safer sex. Abstinence-based sex ed only goes part of the way because it doesn’t teach young teens what to do if they do find themselves in unfamiliar territory.

Second, teens and tweens need self-defense education. Knowing how to take care of oneself in an emergency – and knowing it’s OK to be assertive when threatened – goes a long way toward self-confidence.

Finally, kids need open lines of communication with their parents, teachers and other adults in leadership roles. They need to know they can talk about anything – absolutely anything – without fear of being judged. I remember the way I felt after I left my friend’s house that night, and the only way I can describe it is as “alone.” I didn’t want to talk to any adults for fear they’d think I was a bad person.

It’s important to remember that children are just that. They’re not little adults, and they don’t think about things the same way we do. What now seems like a relatively small occurrence seemed insurmountable as a 13-year-old girl who didn’t know much about sex or how to take control of a situation.

A little education and understanding would’ve gone a long way.

Source:   S.A.S.S.

Re-Published by: Dave Heuthe, American Kobe Jiu Jitsu Federation Black Belt & Certified Instructor. Dave provides group personal defense classes where lessons are taught in various locations, privately, at Bob Malvagno’s School of Self Defense, and through in-house work programs (e.g. -Fire Department, employer, churches & synagogues, community centers, etc.) in the Nassau County and Sufflok County, Long Island (LI), NY area. Dave’s business is to provide programs that help his students (adults, seniors, teens & children) master self defense. BECOME A CLASS MEMBER TODAY!