Self Protection

[stephanie_craxford]

I'm not sure if this is the right forum, but here goes...

Susan brought up a very important topic in her blog, with regards to the steps we can take to protect ourselves when we are out and about.  So lets come up with a list of all the passive steps we can take to protect ourselves.  iI'll start it off, and let everyone else add to the list.  Maybe at the end someone can compile the list and we can include it in WIKI.

Step 1 - When at all possible always travel with at least one friend, they can be of the same sex.  Just remember, there's safety in numbers.

Next.......

[Terri-Gene]

I find that one easy enough.  Just pay attention to whats going on around me and when I see something coming, step aside and let it pass if possible, if not, just deal with it on whatever terms the other side will allow for, and only on thier own terms, so be it,  I can speak that language, even if it is distasteful to me.

Common sense and do what you gotta do, and can live with, but don't avoid everything just because it's easier.  Just face life for what it is, thats all the protection I feel I need.  Thats all anyones got.

Terri

[beth]

never let anyone force you into a vehicle or a secluded spot. even if they point a gun at you, your odds of surviving are much better if you run. entering a vehicle almost never has a good result. if you are physicaly forced in, jump out at the first stop that people are near. do whatever it takes to get out.

i hope none of us ever have to think about these things.




beth

[Debtv]

Safety when out and about:

1 - When at all possible always travel with at least one friend, they can be of the same sex.  Just remember, there's safety in numbers.

2 - AWAYS be aware of your surroundings.

3 - Never let anyone force you into a vehicle or a secluded spot. even if they point a gun at you.

4 - Carry a stun gun, mace or a lead bar in the bottom of your purse.

5 - Be carefull where you go. Avoid dark alleys, rough neighborhoods and obviously redneck bars and events.

6 - If going out partying...let another know when and where you are going and when you will be back.

7 - Don't try to fool unsuspecting men by flirting with them.

8 - Try to always use the one room bi-gender bathrooms.


Saftey at Home

1 - Keep some kind of firearm at home if you can.

2 - Get a remote camera ($100 at Radio Shack) to view your front door.

3 - Be careful of strangers at front door.

4 - Front door area well lighted.

5 - Have a plan if someone does try to break in front door (arm yourselve, retreat and call 911)

6 - Be aware when leaving or coming home.


Is there more?
Love
DebTV

[beth]

if you are going to keep a gun at home


use a trigger lock if children are ever present

take classes on gun safety and use

have the gun registered (many policemen would love to jail us along with the thug)

fire the gun every few months to make sure it is properly working and you are familiar with it

keep the gun oiled and maintained

be absolutely positive before you shoot, many have shot their roommate etc when they forgot their key and climbed into a window.

and most important-- do not have a gun unless you absolutely know you will use it when you have to. if you are the type that say "i would never shoot someone" then do not keep a loaded gun. you can make a situation worse if you introduce a gun to someone who enters without one.

beth

[Leigh]

Hey Deb

What about the back door?  I would imagine that most breakins are done through the back due to their being out of sight from passerbys and to more privacey.

If you are dating men, make arrangments to call a friend at a certain time, say every 2 hours.  Also let your date know that you are calling so that if they have less than good intentions, they would know.

I do have firearms, a carry permit and would never hesitate to save myself, family or friends if the occasion would arise.  The old saying I would rather be judged by 12 than carried by six works for me.

Leigh

[Terri-Gene]

heh, I won't carry a firearm anymore, but that doesn't mean I don't believe in em, or wouldn't use it if it needed to be used, just I got no taste for handling them anymore and no longer have any around, and yeah, I know how to clean and oil em. and which end is dangerous 

As far as out and about, just take the same precautions WBW use 24/7/365.  Yeah, I know, their attack and abuse rate is horrible, but it's what they live under and we're one of em, right?

Protect yourself to all the extent you can, as long as the wieght of it doesn't give you room to breath, but 24/7/365 you're gonna find out sometimes you just have to wing it and a lot of safegaurds just arn't practicle or available.

It's attitude, think about the old can't cross the street bit cause you might get run over by a truck.

Terri

[stephanie_craxford]

Firearms ar not an option here in Canada, or in many other counties I believe.  So I can't really comment on the situation in the U.S.

But I agree with Terri-Gene that attitude has a lot to do with it as well.  Being confident with who you are at anytime, either in-doors or out, can send a "don't mess with me" message to others.
[edit](4years)Divergent topic relocated to new topic: "Terms (WBW or GG) (from Self Protection)".[/edit]

Chat later,
Steph

[Maura Hartman]

I do have firearms, a carry permit and would never hesitate to save myself, family or friends if the occasion would arise.  The old saying I would rather be judged by 12 than carried by six works for me.

Leigh

That works for me too!

[MaryEllen]

That works for me too!

Like Leigh and Maura, I own and am licensed to carry a firearm. Does that make me invincible?  No way.  A lot of good advise has been given in previous posts so I won't elaborate any more on that. To use a firearm for self defense should be your very last option.  Unless you can say for sure that you can point a firearm at a person and pull the trigger, don't even think of using a firearm. It's not a pretty sight to see someones brains splattered all over the wall. Think long and hard before you go that route. In my case, I routinely carry a firearm and would not hesitate to use it if the need arose. Does that make me a blood thirsty gunslinger?  No !  It makes me a survivor

[Denise01]

To compliment what Steph says, Firearms  in Canada are not an option, so it should not even be thought of here.

Common Sence  and making sure you travel in appropriate areas is most essential, especially in the evenings.

I too, prefer malls etc, where there are significant amounts of people, as you can blend in with the crowd better, and one additional item is to dress appropriate with the people who will be around you, that way you have a lot less chance of standing out.

Being carefull and keeping familiar with the surroundings is very important to ones safety

Denise

[Cloaked_Vampire]

If you are running away from someone with a firearm, it is best to run in a zigzag rather than a straight line, when you run in a zigzag they cant get an accurate aim and are more likely to miss you than if you run straight. I know firearms are illegal in some countries including in Australia where I live, but it doesnt stop some people having and using them. If you know this tip, sorry for repeating it, if you dont, I hope it saves your life one day.

Tristan

[stephanie_craxford]

Along the sames lines a Tristans thoughts on running away, I'm reminded that when we teach new school children in the "New Rider Program",  School Bus Safety Program, and Street Smarts Program.  When walking along a street take note of places you pass that you could use for safe refuge (churches, stores, gas stations, other brightly lite places), should you need it.  Then if you find yourself being slowly followed by a vehicle as you walk along the road, the children are taught to abruptly turn around and either walk or run in the opposit direction to the refuge they identifed, and get help.

Steph

[wajdi]

1)  Vary your routes to and from places.  Don't fall into familiar patterns.
2)  Be aware of your surroundings.  This means knowing where that loose brick is, how close you are to that car with the antenna you can break off and whomp someone with, as well as knowing who and how close strange persons are to you.
3)  When traveling, have a travel plan with a friend, so they know when you are supposed to be somewhere.
4)  Be aware that most folks can't hit crap with a handgun; if they pull one, turn and run like hell.
5)  Hell, travel with ME.  I'm generally always armed.

wajdi

[Terri-Gene]

 "most folks can't hit crap with a handgun; if they pull one, turn and run like hell"

Anyone want any proof of that just check your favorite news on TV or newpaper.  All the gang stuff going around, drive by and walk by shootings and just all out war in the streets with each other.  They shoot up basket fulls of ammo and the only people hurt are the ones they werent shooting at.

All in all, I say the safest place to be with most of these people is at the pointed end of the weapon.  But I wouldn't test it out without kevlar.

running is good though, even most people people familiar with handguns usually arn't all that great beyond 25 or 30 yards and much, much less then that with a moving target.  remember, its ment as a short range last ditch survival weapon and generally used within 7 yards or a little better.

Another thing about "Bad Guys" and guns.  It seems thier brains are disconnected, put a nice hole threw them and they sometimes fail to recognize they been shot and keep returning fire. a problem with small fast pistol calibers.  Do the same thing to many cops, and they just know they are dead, even if the wound turns out to be not so serious.  Just a greater respect for weapons I guess.

Terri

[Alison]

When I have to walk out to my car alone at night,  I put my keys individually between my fingers... sort of so that when you make a fist, the keys point outward... so if you have to punch someone.. it hurts... a lot...

Carry a whistle.... if you're approched by a creep blow it... odds are they'll run off because of the attention it'll raise...

carry a cellphone... always better to have a link...

[LostInTime]

I've had to deal with a violent stalker.  So I would advise that, providing you have the ability to do so, one should look into their state laws on Concealed and Open carry laws.   I have had open carry end confrontations immediately.  They get close enough to see the holster and it ends.  Most thought I was a LEO and as long as I did not ID myself as such, it was okay.

Firearms at home.  Everyone in the home needs to have firearm safety taught to them.  Love them or hate them but the NRA's eddie eagle program is superb for the young ones (no, I am not a member).  Or do what my father did and tell me from when I was about four that the firearms are never to be touched without him there.  He also took me out shooting with him when I was older.  I have mad respect for ANY type of firearm.  If you have multiple firearms, please keep them in a safe and place whatever trigger/chamber guards that you wish.  For a small price you can also have a pressure pad added to the home alarm system (most firearms used in crimes by felony criminals are stolen).  I live alone but the only firearm I keep loaded is my sidearm, which is never any more than a few feet away from me.

Training, training, training.  Whomever you select for your firearms training should also be able to teach you the local laws and run you through several shoot?/don't shoot? scenarios.  If you use your firearm and are taken to a grand jury hearing, you can expect to spend as much as $10K in legal expenses.  If you radically change the type of carry weapon, make sure to also go and get training with that, just in case you are called to court.  The company I received my training from has a written policy of testifying for any student that graduates from their courses and they keep track of make, model, and caliber that you train with.

If you cannot pull the trigger to stop someone from hurting you or a loved one then do not have a weapon in the house.  However, keep in mind that hot robberies (homes that are broken into while the owners are home) only make up about 13% of all reported home robberies but also makeup up to 60% of reported rapes.  Criminals do not want to be caught, as a rule, so if they come in while you are home then chances are they plan to do unpleasant things to you and your family.

Avoid confrontations the best that you can.  Take some practical martial arts training that focuses on self defense and not the tournament floor.  I have studied in kenpo, jujitsu, and wing chun kung fu and all are excellent choices for close encounters.  If you are carrying a firearm DO NOT engage in hand to hand combat.  That allows the person to get close enough to grab your weapon.

If your state allows for it, carry a good can of mace.  Not pepper spray!  I carried OC-10 with me and that was always the first thing used.  If they shrugged that off then the pistol was drawn.  This will also help keep you out of court as it shows you were only trying to stop and not kill the attacker.

Always keep a cellphone on your person and when you go to sleep at night.  If you carry a weapon and have to use it then you want to be the first to report it. 

Lastly, only use a firearm if your life or the life of someone else is in immediate danger.  The criminal must have the means to inflict greivous bodily harm in order for your shooting to be considered self defense.  If the criminal runs, do not pursue but call the police and file a report.

[Kendall]

I took many classes of Kung Fu (style of martial arts that I found attractive). With benefits of cardio, bit of exercise, and almost dance forms (kung fu is the animal styles, very dance and stylistic), it also teaches some close contact methods that could save lives (of course vs gun no chance). I recommend anyone taking a course or class, or studying on own from library books or videos/dvds. It dont matter the style, but research a bit and find which attracts you. I know a few great books of my style Shoalin Long Fist being my favorite for my style (I like that girl from Croaching Tiger Hidden Dragon/Hero/House of Flying Daggers Zhang Ziyi). Dr Jwing-Ming is my favorite of my style at http://www.ymaapub.com/.

Some examples: Kung Fu (several substyles like) Long fist (kicks and mantas), tai chi (slow energy focus, calm), wing chun (hand techniques and wooden dummy), Chi Na (wrist locks and pressure points), Eagle claw (very deadly)

                       Karate- Japanese style-kicks, blocks, punches (very straight line and angular), Aikido-(circular, locks, throws, swords), Judo- (sweeps, throws, some locks), Kendo (swords)

                       Other stylse like Bruce Lee's No style of Jeet Kun Do, basic self defense styles like military and police