How To Avoid Being An Assault Victim

By Author: Teresa Bernard
Total Articles: 15
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One of the most frequent illegal activities in our civilization today is personal assault. Be it in the form of a robbery, assault, or mugging, it is a most offensive intrusion of our personal protection. Why do some individuals become a victim of personal attack while others do not? How do culprits choose their quarry? Villains are very good at noticing the signs of a likely victim. It's a good idea to know what these signs are so you can circumvent the likelihood of becoming the next possible victim of crime.

What Does Your Body Language Say About You?

Deviants look for easy marks. Someone who appears to be defenseless, passive and oblivious to the activities going on around. They want a target who is not capable or is too passive to fight back. This type of person is easy catch off guard. It's paramount to know that your chances of becoming a victim is predisposed by the signals you aren't even aware you are sending to an assailant. Our intercommunication to others is made up of 80-90% body language and non-verbal cues. Either knowingly or unknowingly, crooks will make an assessment about you from these signals ...
... to determine how easy you will be to overpower and master.

Luckily there are a several ways of reducing your potential of becoming a predator's next prey. If the bad guys look for possible prey who appears to be powerless, vulnerable and naive, then you must project the reverse of that. One way to do this is to carry yourself with self-confidence. Self-confidence is a non-victim characteristic. The more poised you appear to others, the less likely you are to be targeted for an attack. An assailant won't choose a victim who appears to be difficult to overcome or will put up a fight. Any sign of strength or defiance, whether deliberate or implied, is often sufficient to cause a deviant to look elsewhere for any easier target. You can portray self-assurance by walking swiftly with purpose in your stride. Hold your head upright and be alert.

Are You Aware Of Your Surroundings?

Another way to reduce the odds of becoming a "statistic" is to be keenly aware of your surroundings at all times. You not only increase the odds of detecting a potential mugger, but you also portray an image of attentiveness. Pay attention to who is around you and what events are going on at all times. Make eye contact with everyone who is walking toward you. Villains are looking for a target who isn't paying attention and are unaware of what's going on around them. So put away the "electronic gizmos!" Get off the cell phone, iPod, PDA and laptop. They are a distraction. Using these gadgets in public places like parking garages, malls, parks, etc., can lessen your ability to spot potential danger and makes you an easy mark. If you are distracted and not paying attention you might not even realize you are going to be attacked until it is too late to escape.

Add Some Personal Security Devices To Your Arsenal

In addition to depicting self-confidence and being keenly alert, it would be wise to protect yourself from harm by carrying a few common self-defense devices such as a personal alarm, pepper spray and a stun gun.

A personal safety alarm is just the right tool for getting yourself noticed when you really need it. These small, affordable alarms are easily carried and release a deafening and abhorrent noise when set off.

Pepper spray is a non-fatal self-defense spray that is made from oleoresin capsicum (OC), a by-product of peppers. When sprayed in an antagonist's face or eyes, self defense spray will irritate the eyes causing profuse tearing, pain and even short-term "sightlessness".

A stun gun is a defensive weapon designed to momentarily immobilize a villain by delivering a non-lethal, high-voltage electric shock. Bear in mind, these self defense weapons will not keep you safe if you do not use them.
To find out more about personal safety tools and other self defense kits visit a1selfdefenseproducts.com.