Wednesday, December 23, 2009

To Be or Not to Be a Victim of Crime

By Teresa Bernard

Personal attacks are one of the more common crimes in our society today. Be it in the form of a robbery, assault, or mugging, it is a most invasive intrusion of our personal security. Why do some individuals become a victim of personal attack while others do not? How do predators choose their quarry? Predators have a feel for noticing the signs of potential prey. You need to know what these signals are so you can avoid becoming the next victim of a personal attack.

An assailant is looking for an easy mark. One who appears powerless, meek and naive. A target not capable (or won't) fight back is someone who is easy to waylay. It's important to know that the your prospect of becoming a victim is predisposed by the signals you aren't even aware you are sending to an assailant. Our body language and non-verbal cues are the unconscious signals that make up 80-90% of our communication to others. Attackers, whether consciously or instinctively, will form an opinion about you. They determine how easy you will be to subdue and control from these signals.

Luckily there are a several ways to reduce your potential of becoming a victim of crime. If villains look for individuals who appear to be unguarded, helpless and unaware, then you must depict the complete opposite of that. One way to do this is to carry yourself with confidence. Confidence is a non-victim quality. The more poised you appear to others, the less likely you are to be targeted for an attack. An attacker won't choose you as a victim if he feels you will be difficult to overcome or will put up a fight of any kind. Any sign of strength or defiance, whether conspicuous or indirect, in most instances will be enough to convince a would-be attacker to look somewhere else for an easier target. You can portray self-assurance by walking swiftly with purpose in your stride. Hold your head upright and be alert.

Another way to reduce the chances of becoming a statistic is to be keenly aware of your surroundings at all times. You not only increase the odds of detecting a potential assailant, but you also project an image of vigilance. Be aware of who is around you and what activities or events are taking place at all times. Look at people who are walking toward you. Make eye contact with them. Criminals look for prey who are distracted and off guard. So put away the "electronic gizmos!" Get off the cell phone, iPod, PDA and laptop. Using these devices in public places like parking garages, malls, parks, etc., lessens your ability to detect a threat and will make you an easy target. If you are distracted and not paying attention you won't even know you are being attacked until it is too late.

Besides projecting an air of poise and watchfullness, an additional line of defense is to carry a few standard personal security items with you, such as a personal alarm, a canister of pepper spray and/or a stun gun. A personal alarm is just the right device for getting yourself noticed when you really need it. These small, inexpensive items are very easy to take with you wherever you go. When activated, they will emit an earsplitting and insufferable noise. Pepper spray is a non-fatal self-defense spray that is made from oleoresin capsicum (OC), a by-product of pepper. When sprayed in an attacker's face or eyes, pepper spray will irritate the eyes causing profuse tearing, pain and even short-term blindness. A stun gun is a defense weapon designed to temporarily halt an assailant by delivering a non-lethal, high-voltage electric shock. Keep in mind that these security devices will not keep you safe if you do not use them.

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