There are many reasons why you should learn how to protect yourself from potential danger, but looking for useful information on the internet in the middle of other irrelevant shams can be quite an uphill task. The most important tool, according to me, is your brain. Not just the anatomical organ that lies between your ears but a fully functional and rational thought process that can make even the scariest of situations seem defeatable. It is, therefore, imperative that in the face of danger, you maintain your cool in order to make use of this innate instinct to protect. Alter your breathing to calm down and let yourself react appropriately.
There are several tactics I have read about and find to be useful. I have decided to go through them in different sub-headings for clarity and ease of locating the advice you require.
Ready to explore the best self-defense tips? Information comes from BuzzFeed.
Public Areas
Some people assume that public places are safe because there are many people around you. While it may be true theoretically, it is not realistic. The most classic kidnaps in history are hostage situations and those of prominent persons done in broad daylight in front of crowds of people. The crowds serve as a decoy for quick getaways.
If you get a flat tire in a foreign neighborhood, you might just want to drive off on rims. In case you are planning to leave the building at night, and you are scared, you are safer on an elevator rather than a staircase. On top of that, you can opt to press all the buttons and get a stopover at each floor. It can be annoying and slower than most trips down but will make you feel much safer when you land at your floor.
If you are getting into your car, it is wise to look around you before getting into the car. If something does not seem right then it probably is not. Are there any suspicious-looking vans that could stop briefly beside you on the road and have you abducted? Do not chance it. You can walk back to the building you came from and ask for assistance.
Once in the car, do not waste anymore time. Start the engine immediately and go. You do not want to give enough time for the bad guy to walk to your car, open the door and sit in the passenger seat. Therefore, drive before it happens. If you have already let him in or in case you find him seated, do not drive out calmly. Drive like a psycho and ram your car into anything, especially if you know the airbags will keep you alive.
If walking in an alleyway, ensure you remove any ear plugs or headphones to keep you alert. Have a weapon on standby. Most women swear by pepper sprays. Knowing how to use them is equally important. If your attacker is close enough, use any part of your body to cause harm only if you notice that he is not armed. If he is, it is safer to cooperate and then run. If he wants your wallet, give it to him. It will not only distract him but get him what he wants. Run so that you are not harmed once he has gotten what he wants. Remember that he could be a psycho, and if he shoots after you, it will be harder when you are running in zig-zags. He could hit you, but it probably won’t find a vital organ.
Tip: The advice above is especially useful to women. The safest way to stay alive is to avoid certain places at certain times too.
At Home
The best way to ensure your assailant never get inside, is by never inviting them in the first place. Do not let dates you have met only once get into your home. It will prevent date rape and violence that could occur without your intentional cause. Another pointer is never to open your door at night. When it happens, call 911 and have them assist whoever is out there.
So now the bad guy is in your house, what next? Take him to the kitchen. It has the knives and spices. Apart from that, you have the advantage of being on the home turf too. Watch his reactions. Are you in a position to obtain a sharp tool and use it? If you can, then go ahead. Pick any pans and plates and throw them frantically around to create noise that will alert your neighbours.
Use Martial Arts
Unless you know martial arts or are trained in it, it is wiser to use your arms and teeth rather than perform a shoddy attempt at saving your life. If you are interested in learning the art, sign up soon and begin practicing. While fool-hardiness can be comical, this is not what you hope to achieve when dealing with an attacker.
Kidnap
It is the worst case scenario. You are in unfamiliar territory. The key here is always to seem scared to your kidnapper. Always. Even after freeing your hands from the wrist hold or zip tie you should feign fear and workout a way of escaping the room you are in. There are tips on removing duct tape and other common things used to restrain you by the bad guys on the internet. You should watch the videos and practice.
If you find yourself in the trunk of a car, push out, using anything you can find. It has saved lives.
In conclusion, some aspects of our lives can be adjusted to reduce the chances of our falling into the hands of “bad guys”. Some of them are armed while others aren’t. Some work in groups while others don’t. You cannot predict who comes your way but as cliche as it may sound: better safe than sorry. Stay safe. Stay alive. Remember, paranoid beats dead all day.