Continuing from post, Self Defence 14:

The second part of your avoidance strategy is not putting yourself into the ‘victim pool’. The opportunist attacker will more often go for the person who is not alert.

Bad guys are looking for victims who are going to put up the least resistance. A drug addict who has to find £200-300 a day to get their fix will be looking for victims where they expect not to get hurt or recognised, as these factors will influence whether they will be able to get another fix tomorrow.

The bad guys prefer to watch, wait and strike when you are at your most vulnerable, when you aren’t paying attention to what is going on around you. They may spend a while watching you, sometimes even walking past you, to see if you are ‘switched on’. Once they have chosen you as a victim, they attack quickly and incapacitate you with as little effort as possible.

The victim will be the person who presents the least risk to the bad guys. The victim will be the person behind you, who isn’t paying attention, or the person in front of you, who didn’t take the necessary precautions. But don’t let it be you.

Self-defence increases the risk of others becoming victims and decreases the risk to you. If this seems a bit unfair and inconsiderate, then examine why fish swim in shoals or wildebeest form vast herds – they are reducing the probability that a single one of them is likely to be attacked.

So what kinds of actions attract predators?

•       The way that you walk can have an effect. If you walk upright with confidence, you are less likely to attract a predator’s attention than if you walk around meekly, looking at the ground.

•       Walking around with a phone glued to your ear, texting intensively or displaying the latest smartphone is also going to get you noticed.

•       Struggling with too many shopping bags or searching through bags or pockets for car keys is another chance for the opportunistic predator. If you are searching for car keys or house keys, do it with your back to the door so you can see anyone approaching.

•       Being visibly intoxicated through drink or drugs.

•       In some areas of the world, looking like a lost tourist.

Don’t take Risks

The final part of your avoidance strategy is not to indulge in risky practices.

If you know there is a bad part of town or a pub/club with a bad reputation, why go there? Having an “it won’t happen to me” attitude is why people take shortcuts down dark alleys instead of a slightly longer, well-lit, populated route. Don’t risk it.

Remember that the bad guys have far more experience dealing with victims than you will have had dealing with bad guys. Please do not assume that you can fight them with a little knowledge. They will cheat and play dirty – spitting, biting, throwing dirt, etc. Assuming you know more than they do is a considerable risk.

You should always try to escape to a place of safety that has lots of people (witnesses). Don’t escape to a dangerous place, like an isolated area where you might be alone with your attacker if they are chasing you. You increase the risk of being attacked if you are alone.