Personal Safety - Article 4 - Personal Safety Personal Defense: Personal defense is a much more complicated subject than most individuals realize. If you ask someone to define self defense they might logically explain that it is fighting back when you are attacked. However, it is much more than that and begins well before any attack has been perpetrated. In fact, self defense begins with you, not the criminal. Animal behavior as it applies to man. Imagine, if you will, the fertile grass lands and lone acacaia trees of the Serengeti Plains in Central Africa. A herd of soft eyed gazelles graze lazily in the mid morning sun. Their tails flick endlessly as they pause momentarily to look around before lowering their heads and resume their grazing. Some distance away, beneath the cool shade of an acacaia tree, lies a small pride of hungry lions. One in particular, the dominate female, has decided a hunt is in order and the proximity of the herd of gazelles has captured her attention. As the lioness moves into the tall grass she instinctively crouchs to reduce her profile. Her movements are slow, deliberate and halting as she moves in their direction while monitoring the herd. She will pick out the closest and most vulnerable gazelle as her target and, when she has reduced the distance between herself and her prey, she will burst from the grass in an effort to overpower it and bring it down as swiftly as possible. Both the lioness and gazelle exhibit classic, predictable and identifiable behaviors in their roles as predator and prey. In the human world, the criminal is the predator and you are his prey. Both of you will use the same classic, predictable and, fortunatly, identifiable behaviors. Understanding what those behaviors are and how to recognize them is what this section is all about. That is why self defense begins with you! By Their Deeds Shall You Know Them: All of us use both verbal and non-verbal means of communication. A smile, a wink, even hand gestures help to convey and reinforce our verbal message. These non-verbal means of communication, known as body language, are the most effective tools we use in daily communication. In fact, a study conducted by Professor Albert Mehrabian, Ph.D, determined that 55% of all meaning is in nonverbal expression. In his study, he determined that style, tone, facial expression and body language comprise a full 93% of "how" we communicate and 7% is the content or the "what we say". The lioness communicated her intent by her body language. When you saw her crouch you knew what her intentions were. For a gazelle, her actions might as well have been a flashing neon sign. They understand her intent as well as you. The advantage she has over the gazelle is some have their heads down (remember our discussion on Awareness?) and some have no viable means of escape (young, sick, startled). Criminals will broadcast their intentions by their body language and it is just as easily identified as those of the lioness. Once you understand how the process works and how to read the signs you will be far less likely to be a victim. Listen to what they do, not to what they say! Body language can be divided into two distinct types: Voluntary - Movements, gestures and poses intentionally made by a person. Involuntary - Involuntary body language is usually taken to mean the facial expressions but can include much more. The latter of the two, involuntary, is the type of body language we are concerned with and that which we will discuss here. Involuntary language is composed of several sub-categories. Some of them are: Kinesic communication: Communicating by body movement Proxemic communication: Communicating by body positioning Gesture types: Hand or head movements such as nodding in agreement Tells: Unconscious signals such as a nervous smile It is far less important to understand the various types of involuntary language than it is to recognize them. The good news is you already know how, you just second guess your inherent senses. How many times have you had a "gut feeling" about someone or you're "sixth sense" told you not to trust someone? You are reacting to involuntary language cues you received from that person called "efferent" cues. These cues have probably been around since the dawn of mankind and served to protect us from some hungry lioness when she figured out we were a bit slower than gazelles. The good news is we still possess the ability to extract and understand efferent cues and since criminals broadcast their intentions through involuntary language, we have the ability to "see" in advance what a person's true intentions are. Now, before we go any further, we need to recognize that some criminal attacks occur without warning. Psychotic individuals, for example, can fall well outside the normal bounds of human interaction and make it nearly impossible for us to interpret their intent. Most situations, thankfully, do not follow such an unpredictable course. What Is Our Goal? To paraphrase Marc MacYoung, a highly recognized expert of high-risk situations, self defense is never our goal. Self defense is nothing more than damage control. We use self defense to prevent the situation from getting worse. Our goal is to prevent the problem from happening in the first place. He recognized there are five (5) stages that occur with violent crime. By understanding and recognizing those stages, you can significantly reduce the chances of being a victim. The five stages are: 1. Intent 2. Interview 3. Positioning 4. Attack 5. Reaction 1. Intent: This is the point where the criminal chooses to commit a crime. It involves the mental process of decision making and may have occurred long before the crime is committed. Their actions may be a spur of the moment decision or may be the result of some preplanned agenda but in either case they have mentally prepared themselves to commit a crime. How many times have you seen someone and thought, "this guys is just looking for a fight"? Trust your instincts and if you even think someone may pose a threat extract yourself from the situation. 2. Interview: The interview is where the criminal attempts to ascertain whether you want to be a victim. A lioness will seldom attack a crocodile because she knows there is a good likelihood she will be injured. The criminal is making the same judgements about you. The question they are asking is "Can I pull this off?". If you present yourself as an easy target then there is a very good chance you will become one. Exercising the skills we discussed in Being Aware and in Thinking Smart will help you prevent being a victim of crime. 3. Positioning: Think of this as maneuvering. Trying to gain a position for attack. That is what the lioness was doing as she moved through the grass. The criminal is doing the same thing. When the lion attacks, she has little desire to wrestle around on the Savana with her prey. She wants to overpower them, take them down, and end it as quickly as possible. The criminal is no different. Your greatest concern with positioning are traditional perimeter locations; areas near others but not close enough for help. Examples include parking lots, bathrooms in schools or malls, rooms adjacent to where a party is going on. How many times have you read about a rape occurring while a party was going on in the next room? The criminal is trying to maneuver himself and you to a perimeter location to make his efforts easier. Avoid them. 4. Attack: The attack is the actual commission of the crime. The criminal has 1.made the decision to commit a crime, 2.determined you will make an easy target, and 3.positioned himself and you to an area where they will have a good chance of succeeding without interference. At this point, there is no reason for them NOT to attack. Everything is in their favor. 5. Reaction: Reaction deals with how the criminal feels about what they have done. Whether they choose to rape you after they have robbed you or shoot you afterwards is dependant upon the individual and their personal reaction to the crime. Even if you have cooperated, you are still vulnerable to the criminal until they decide to end their attack. AOI: Mr. MacYoung also devised a quick tool to use in determining whether you are in danger. He calls it AOI: As long as all three elements; ability, opportunity, and intent, are present, a crime can occur. Remove even one element and the crime is averted. If the criminal does not have the ability to commit the crime, no opportunity to commit it or no intent in committing the crime then it won't happen. If you recognize any one of the three elements in an individual red flags should be waving. If you see any two, extracate yourself from the situation and don't wait for the third to one to be present. A simple example: You've just met someone at a party. He seems nice enough and he asks you to step into another room where you can talk. "It's too noisy here," he says. You don't know about his intentions but you know he has the ability to commit a violent act against you. That's two flags. If you step into the next room with him (unless there are a lot of people in there) you've just enable the third and final element, opportunity. Don't allow yourself to become a victim. The AOI is used to counter the five elements of violent crime. Since the criminal must invoke the five steps in order to successfully attack you, the pyramid thwarts his effort and reduces his opportunity for success. Tools to Protect You: Knowledge: Knowledge is without a doubt the most important tool you can possess in preventing yourself from being a victim. Be aware of your surroundings, think smart, understand the five stages of violent crime, and know what to do. These are the things paramount to your safety. You have to think like a survivor. The criminal is going to commit a crime regardless of what you do so you want him to find another, easier target to go after. Avoidance: Avoidance is the second best tool in your arsenal. If you understand a violent situation could develop, remove yourself from the situation. Walk or drive away. Seek help by calling 911 or security. Close and lock the door. Step inside a store. Whatever is necessary for you to extricate yourself from the situation. Imagine that the criminal is a bomb ready to explode. It does not matter how many tools you have in the trunk for handling bombs. Your smartest and safest approach is to put as much distance between him and you as you possibly can. You probably have noticed we have not discussed combat weapons or tactics such as hand to hand or knife fighting. That should be your very last resort and last concern for a variety of reasons. If you are in need of some type of weapon then your goal of avoiding confrontation has failed. There are also the legal ramifications you will be faced with when using an injurous or lethal weapon. Not only can you be arrested for the use of unwarranted force (if it applies) but you may also be sued for inflicting injuries. If you plan to arm yourself, be certain to discuss your plans with your attorney and understand the laws in your state and municipality. (More evil lawyer stuff) Safe Zone LLC does not sanction the use of violence against any group or individual. The following information is for eductional purposes and is provided only as a public service. Always follow federal, state, and municipal laws regarding weapons of any type and take appropriate precautions when storing them. Keep all weapons out of the reach of children and always follow the manufacturers recommendations. Martial Arts: There are many styles and variations of martial arts and we can not hope to cover all of them here. Most of the world's cultures are represented in some form of martial arts including the Indiginous peoples of the Americas, Hawaii, and Africa in addition to Eastern and Middle Eastern cultures. Many forms of martial arts teach avoidance, the very precept Safe Zone LLC is committed to. If you feel some form of martial arts is right for you, may we suggest you read the following wikipedia article List of Martial Arts. You should also discuss your concerns with more than one martial arts instructor to determine which style is best for you. Miscellaneous Protection Devices: Mace Pepper Spray Stun Guns Tasers Personal Alarms Batons The list is probably endless but these are the most common self defense devises on the market today. Some may be illegal in your state or municipality so check your laws before obtaining one!! The problem with most personal protection devices is they offer a false sense of security. If a device is in your purse, briefcase or locked away inside your car it will be very difficult to access it quickly. You may overlook the efferent clues a criminal is providing because you feel safe just having access to some type of device. Like any weapon, it is only effective if you intend to use it, it is quickly and easily accessible, and you are trained in its use. Knives: This is one tool that Safe Zone LLC highly recommends but not for personal defense. A good knife is the single most important tool in a NON-COMBAT survival situation. If you can only take one tool into the wilderness, it should be a good quality knife. It does not have to be expensive to be of good quality. A six inch knife in stainless steel with a full tang can save your life in a survival situation. In our humble opinion, the Ontario Knife Company offers some of the finest blades available for the price. The model SP24 USN1 features 1095 epoxy powder-coated carbon steel blade, full tang construction, wide, razor sharp edges, combination leather/cordura sheaths and it's made in the USA. If you are interested in a more expensive knife, then consider the Becker Brute. You should also check out M40's web site on converting a Khurkri to a survival knife. We've used their plan to convert a Krurkri and a Machette. Their plan is simple and quite ingenious. You can view it by clicking here. Firearms: There are probably as many opinions on the best survival weapon as there are grains of sand on a beach. You need to determine what you want to use a weapon for and where it will most often be used before you can decide on the best overall weapon that is right for you. For example, your requirements in an urban environment will likely be much different that in a rural environment. From a self defense perspective, your best choices are a shotgun or a handgun. Let's talk about the shotgun first. Specifically, the Lupara. The Lupara is a short barreled side by side (SXS), 12 or 16 ga, and usually open choked. Most are hammer guns. You will have to look long and hard to find a true Lupara not equipped with a sling. The term Lupara is Italian and literally means "wolf shot" and it has been used in Sicily for generations to protect flocks of sheep. You might also remember them as the instrument of choice in the movie The Godfather. We are not talking about the construction of an illegal weapon. A Lupara can be made to conform to ATF guidelines and current laws regarding barrel and overall length. And nothing in this article should be construed as advocating any illegal modifications to weapons. You will be hard pressed, however, to find a better home defense weapon than the Lupara. It is light, manueverable and if the sound of two rounds of buckshot passing by an intruder doesn't intimidate him, a SXS can be reloaded very quickly. Now for the handguns: There are basically two types of handguns on the market. Wheel guns are one type and automatics are the other. Each design has inherent advantages and disadvantages. A wheel gun is generally very simple to operate and usually more reliable because it has fewer parts. It is limited, however, on the number of bullets that it contains, generally six. The automatics, on the other hand, can carry much more ammunition with 10, 13, and 15 round clips being available in some models. The selection of a handgun should not be a frivulous undertaking. Speak with one or more qualified gunsmiths and explain to them what you want the weapon for. Handle the weapons they suggest and see if they "feel" right in your hand. A weapon that is too heavy or doesn't have the right balance is no fun to shoot. If possible, test fire the weapon so you understand its firing characteristics. Finally, take the weapon to the range and fire several differnt types of ammunition to determine the best brand and load for your weapon. As always, be aware of your state and municipal laws regarding firearms. Make certain you keep it in a safe place so children do not have access to it and invest in a trigger lock to keep curious fingers safe while it is stored. And always follow the manufacturers instructions regarding safe operation of the weapon. Rifles: Many will argue that a rifle makes an excellent self defense weapon but we believe they have greater disadvantages than a Lupara or a handgun. Rifles are heavier, larger, more wieldly and better designed to fighting at a greater distance than the close combat requirements of repelling a home intruder or being attacked on the street. Further, you can not acquire a concealed weapons permit for a rifle but you can still acquire one for a handgun in many states. We do, however, believe there is a place for a good quality rifle and that is as a survival weapon. Our choice of calibers is the .22LR. The ammunition is cheap, plentiful, and light weight yet it packs more than enough punch to secure small game. If you are in a true survival situation, you need something reliable and there are several excellent models to choose from. Large caliber proponents abound and we certainly respect their decision but we have two reservations with large caliber weapons. 1. How do you hunt smaller game with a large caliber weapon? 2. How do you preserve and transport the meat from large game? There are several excellent choices in .22LR weapons. Here are some we like: Ruger 10-22 Weighing in at 5 pounds, the Ruger 10-22 tops our list of survival rifles. It is a semi automatic equipped with a 10 shot rotary clip. There are a multitude of after market accessories for this rifle. Henry/Armalite AR7 Another semi automatic, the AR7 weighs in at just 2 1/2 pounds. Both the barrel and the receiver can be removed and stored inside the stock making this a very compact weapon at just 21" long. The AR7 also comes with an 8 round clip. Marlin Papoose Like the AR7, The Papoose's barrel can be removed and stored in the flotation case. The Papoose weighs in at 4 pounds and has a seven round clip. Springfield M6 Scout This is a true survival rifle having been designed for downed Air Force pilots. It has a .22LR barrel and a .410 shotgun barrel in over/under design. It is extremely rugged but only comes in a single shot for each barrel. Four .410 shells and fifteen .22 cartridges can be stored inside the stock. The barrel can also be removed from the M6 to make it a more compact weapon. It can be ordered in .22 hornet and .22 magnum instead of the .22LR, if you wish. Well, we have come to the end of personal defense, which focused on making you a survivor. If you have read through each of the four articles, you are well on your way. We have covered a lot of no cost and low cost solutions to keep you safe and sound. We have also offered you some higher cost options that will improve your capabilities and that we believe are worthwhile to look into. Ken Pence has put together a nice page to rate the amount of risk you currently face. You can take one of his tests by clicking here. Now it is time to begin educating your family to make them as savy a survivor as you are. If you are ready to see what you need to do to help them improve their survival skills, just click here. ©2007 Safe Zone LLC - Home