Article Presented by:
Amy Herndon
Okay, you're a nice person and so am I and neither of us ever intend to have any trouble especially of the physical kind. But the possibility that you might be confronted by someone who plans on getting physical is real. Personally, I have been held up at gunpoint and one of my two brothers was targeted outside a mall movie theater a few years back. That's 2 out of 3 siblings. So what are your chances? What will you do about it?
First, do as much as you can to avoid a confrontation - "anticipation and avoidance" are the key words.
1. Be aware of your surroundings, stay in the light.
2. And if it comes down to it, try to talk to the aggressor without provoking him.
3. Don't let fear overtake you, like a mean dog these kinds of people pounce on fear.
4. Watch your body language and maintain some distance from your attacker.
Second, make lots of noise.
1. Shout, holler, do something to attract attention. Yell as loudly as you can.
2. Personal alarms are great noise makers and can be temporarily disorientating. These types of alarms are not like car alarms - they make a sharp piercing noise.
Third, "bash and dash" are your keywords for fighting back.
1. Your primary targets are the eyes, nose, mouth, ears, throat, groin, knees, or shins. You don't have to make contact with all of these areas, whichever is convenient.
2. Once you've punched your attacker in the throat - Run!
Fourth, if you get attacked and held from behind don't struggle forward.
1. Throw yourself backwards into the slime bag who grabbed you.
2. You can also stomp on his lower leg or foot preferably the instep.
Remember you have the right to defend yourself with reasonable force and this includes using anything you might be carrying like an umbrella, a purse (mine weighs at least as much as a small child), even your keys. You can also use weapons like stun guns, Tasers, and pepper sprays.
1. As far as stun guns go, I prefer the smaller variety like "the Runt" or the cell phone stun gun simply because they fit better in my hand. While these models are great for small hands like mine, they're also effective defense tools because they go unnoticed in any adult hand.
2. Perhaps you're thinking of something larger, more visible something more substantial for you to hold onto. If so, then you are definitely thinking about a Taser. Many police officers carry them today.
3. Another reliable alternative also carried by police officers is pepper spray. Pepper spray has come along way since it first came on the scene. These days you can find it in many forms from the classic key chain canister to dual canisters disguised as a pager. The choices are almost endless. But one of the best advances in pepper spray is the addition of UV dye which will stain anything or anyone it touches.
Self defense is something you must think about. You must have a plan of action. Just like insurance, you buy it and you hope you never need it.
About the Author:
Amy Herndon is an authority on self defense. She has two web sites that have even more information and tools that you can use. http://www.AZHselfdefense.com and http://www.AZHsurveillance.com
