Your Personal Safety

Pepper spray is a chemical compound that irritates the eyes to cause tears, pain, and even temporary blindness that is used in crowd control and as personal self defense weapons. The active ingredient in pepper spray is capsaicin, which is a chemical derived from the fruit of plants in the Capsicum genus, including chilis. Long-term effects of pepper spray have not been effectively researched.

A synthetic analogue is used in another version of pepper spray known as PAVA spray which is used in England. Another synthetic counterpart of pepper spray, pelargonic acid morpholide, was developed and is widely used in Russia. Its effectiveness compared to natural pepper spray is unclear and it has caused some injuries.

To most people, ninja throwing stars, or Shurikens, are the cool things that ninjas in movies and video games throw.  The advent of throwing stars were based on the notion that they were to be used as secondary weapons and often as a distraction or to disable an opponent; they are not meant to kill. 

In a modern context, Shurikens are a good way to sharpen your throwing skills and hone your focus, except that they are far more practical than darts.

1. Be Alert!
 
Keep your head up.

Be aware of your surroundings.

2. Vary Your Routines

Predictability makes you a more likely target.

3. Lock It!

Home, car, office - locks are your first line of defense.

4. Make Your Home A Tough Target

Use floodlights, motion sensors, a security system, deadbolts, door alarms, glass breakage alarms, surveillance cameras etc.

Normal Human Response to Danger

When a person is exposed to severe stress, the body experiences a normal process referred to as Body Alarm Reaction, also called “Fight or Flight response“.

The ONLY thing that can help overcome this response is proper training.

The most common reactions are:

• Reduced hand-eye coordination
• Loss of manual dexterity and fine motor skills
• Loss of fine finger movements
• Panic and indecisiveness
• Complex training starts to breakdown
• Unreliable mental track - How many attackers?
• Tunnel vision - swivel head to compensate
• Auditory exclusion - unable to hear loud noises, shouts, etc…
• Muscle tightening - epinephrine (adrenaline) flooding
• Time and space distortion - slow motion
• Memory disturbance - out of sequence… black outs, size distortion

How you will react depends on several things, the most important is proper training, and the second is practice.

Buying a can of my pepper spray is a good idea, but unless you have proper training and practice in the use of the spray as well as awareness training, there is a chance you could be surprised and overcome by an attacker.

Lets hope this never happens, but if it does, it’s not because my spray failed, but because you didn’t learn how to use it.

Is there a day that crime isn’t in the news? Child abductions, robberies, assaults, car-jackings, break-ins and home invasions.

Crime is everywhere, weather it be a big city, small town, even rural communities. Meth labs are hidden in rolling hills of small town areas - soon meth addicts are breaking into homes, hijacking cars, where violent crime was unheard of only a year ago.

RAPES…There were 94,635 reported rapes in 2004. The highest percentage of rape is in the Northeast. July is when the greatest number of rapes occur.

ROBBERIES…There were 401,326 robberies in 2004. Highest percentage of these (38%) were in the South. 42% of the robberies occurred on the streets, 14% occurred in homes.

ASSAULT…There were 854,911 incidents of aggravated assault. Firearms were used for 19.3% of the assaults, knives or cutting instruments 18.6%, other weapons (clubs, blunt objects, etc.) 35.6% and personal weapons (hands, fists, feet, etc.) accounted for 26.6% of the assaults.

CAR JACKINGS…There are around 38,000 car jackings each year. 74% of the victims faced a weapon. About 63% of carjacking incidents occurred within 5 miles of the victim’s home, including 17% that occurred at or near the home…sometimes in their own driveway. Only 4% occurred more than 50 miles from the victim’s home.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE…It is both a national and a worldwide crisis. According to a 2000 UNICEF study, 20-50% of the female population of the world will become the victims of domestic violence.

Oscar winner NICOLE KIDMAN is trying to raise awareness of violence against women. The actress, who is the goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) - helped launch the Say No to Violence against Women campaign. She says, “One in three women will encounter violence in some way, shape or form against them in their lifetime. So much of it is shrouded in silence. What we are trying to do is say this is something that needs to be addressed. A lot of it is taking away the stigma, creating awareness and not making it a silent pandemic. I want to encourage people of all nations to unite behind our call to end violence against women.”

If you were, thrown out into the streets to fend for yourself, you’d be a lot better off with a taser, stun gun or at least MACE in your pocket.

It’s a scenario familiar to any business traveler. Your airline flight was delayed, the cab line at the airport was endless and check-in was a mess. Jet lag has struck. It’s very late, you’re tired and you have a breakfast meeting with a key client at 6:30 AM. You grab your key, avoid the bellman and head to your room to collapse into bed. Stop. Take the next 5 minutes to perform these safety, security and cleanliness checks and prepare for the next day. These “how to’s” will save you time the next morning, they could even save your life some day.

1. When you enter your room prop the door open, turn on the lights, and check the closets, bathroom, under the bed and behind the drapes. Mistakes do happen and sometimes someone else has been assigned to your room. This happens more frequently in suites with adjoining bedrooms that can be sold as separate rooms. Or there could be a thief. In any case, don’t close the door until you are sure the room is empty.

2. Check that the connecting doors, windows and sliding doors are locked. In general, avoid first floor rooms with sliding doors. If you  travel often, consider buying a portable alarm system to hang on the  doorknob for added protection. These movement-sensitive devices can  awaken you if a door lock should happen to fail.

3. Once you lock the door and attach the safety chain, check the diagram on the back to review the nearest exits and mentally plan your escape route. Look out the door to check that the exit signs are illuminated. If the lights are out, be helpful and contact the front desk to let them know. The few seconds that it takes to review the exit information can save your life in the event of a fire, earthquake or other emergency. Just do it. FYI, most fire engine ladders can only reach up to the 6th floor.

4. Be sure that the heat or air-conditioner, lights, phone, radio and television are working. Turn on the shower and sink to check the water pressure and temperature. If they aren’t working, switch rooms now. It’s not worth waiting for someone to fix the problem, especially late at night.

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO TO PREVENT SEXUAL ASSAULT?

• Always be aware of your surroundings.

• Stay in well-lit areas as much as possible.

• Walk confidently, directly, at a steady pace. A rapist looks for someone who appears vulnerable.

• Walk on the side of the street facing traffic.

• Walk close to the curb. Avoid doorways, bushes and alleys where rapists can hide.

• If you think you are being followed, walk quickly to areas where there are people and lights. If a car appears to be following you, turn and walk in the opposite direction or walk on the other side of the street.

• Be careful when people stop you for directions or money. Always reply from a distance and never get too close to the car.

• If you are in trouble or feel you are in danger, don’t be afraid to attract help any way you can. Scream, yell or run away to safety.

• Always lock your car. Keep your car locked when you are away from it to keep someone from hiding and waiting inside.

• When you are inside the car, lock the doors for safety.

• Look inside and around your car before you get in.

• Be aware of other people in parking areas, especially those close to your vehicle.

• If you think you are being followed, drive to a public place or a police station to get help.

• If your car breaks down, open the hood or attach a white cloth to the antenna. If someone stops to help, stay inside your locked vehicle and ask them to call the police.

• If you choose to carry any type of weapon for self-protection, give careful consideration to your ability and willingness to use it. Remember there is always the chance that it could be taken away and used.

Click here for Statutory Rape: A Guide to State Laws and Reporting Requirements

 

• Jog with a partner.

• Jog in familiar areas, and avoid secluded places.

• Do not jog alone after dark.

• Wear a reflective vest during hours of darkness.

• Carry some hotwalkers for protection.

• Always lock your door when you leave and carry a key, someone might be waiting for you to leave.

• Always be aware of your surroundings.

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Phone Calls:

• Dealing with obscene or annoying phones calls, first thing hang up!

• Do not talk to strangers.

• Do not interview the caller to try to find out who he or she is.

• Do not let your answering machine give you away, that you live alone or are not home. Suggested recorded message “Your message is important to me, please leave your name and number“. This message does not leave indication that no one is home or that you are alone. Do not use your name on the answering machine.

Do as much as you can to avoid a confrontation - “anticipation and avoidance” are the key words. If you get caught up in a situation, try to talk to an aggressor without provoking them. Practice relaxation, as appearing fearful or stressed can actually provoke an attack. Remember that body language is important in aggressive situations, so maintain a comfortable distance between you and the aggressor.

Use a gas or electronic attack alarm, as these give out a short piercing sound and will temporarily disorientate an attacker, giving you enough time to escape. Carry it somewhere where you can get to it quickly - don’t leave it buried at the bottom of your bag. If you don’t have an alarm, just make a noise yourself by screaming as loud as you can, or shouting “call the police” - if you’re loud enough this can be just as effective as a personal alarm. If you have an alarm, use it and shout as well.

Steady yourself if danger threatens. Panic can disable you, so again it’s useful to learn how to keep control in a difficult situation. And if you must fight back, adopt what police term the “bash and dash” approach. Primary targets are the eyes, nose, mouth, ears, throat, groin, knees or shins; choose whichever is easiest to get to.

If held from behind don’t struggle forward, you’ll only exhaust yourself. Instead throw yourself backwards to surprise your attacker or stomp on the lower leg or foot.

You have the right to defend yourself with reasonable force and this includes using items you have with you such as an umbrella, bag, briefcase or keys. Now there is something much better and more effective. It’s called the Heart Attack it can be carried on your key chain and this way you can be ready to protect yourself anytime. However, don’t carry or use anything that the law would regard as an offensive weapon. Once you’ve achieved your primary aim of stunning or surprising your attacker, get away as fast as you can. If you manage to overcome them don’t attack again, you could be putting yourself in more danger or you could end up being charged with assault.

These are just the very basics of self-defense, but to learn more about it and get some exercise at the same time, find a local self-defense class and encourage your family along to join you. Just remember “anticipation and avoidance” are the best forms of defense.

Preventing Rape

If you are in danger of being raped, here are some things that you can do.

Make a loud noise - Carry a Mace Screecher Alarm  or scream “police” to attract attention

Run - Only run if there is somewhere safe to run to. If there is no where to go you may aggravate the assailant further by running

Stall - Speak calmly and rationally. Try not to plead, cry or show that you’re scared, this may be the reaction that he’s going for.

Urinate or vomit - Do anything you can to repulse the assailant. Tell him that you have a STD or AIDS.

Fight - Women who resist attacks and act quickly are less likely to be raped, than those who are passive. The optimum time to react is in the first 20 seconds when the body releases chemicals in the blood that help to put up a fight. Be cautious if he has a weapon.

Keep alert - Even though it will be difficult, try to pay attention to as many details as possible, so that you can identify your assailant.

Get help - Call 911 as soon as possible. Police are becoming more willing to help victims of rape. You are not obligated to press charges or go to court.

Collect evidence - Do not bathe, shower, or douche. If you change clothes, put the clothes you were raped in into a bag and seal it.

Tell someone - Call the police, rape crisis counselor, telephone operator, friend. It is very important that someone knows and that it is not kept a secret.