3 Main Reasons Assault Happens!

Today's lecture focused on assault.  While this differs from a class lecture on something about karate, I will be discussing many topics as they relate to assault, to help develop your overall skills in self defense....not just the physical skills, but the mental skills that are equally, if not more important.

There are many reasons why women get assaulted, however, most studies show that a woman gets targeted for assault for 3 MAIN reasons. 

You might be surprised with the answers.  No, it doesn't have to do with how HOT the women looks or how SEXY she might be dressed.  And it's not about money or anger.  These are all contributing factors, but they are not the main reasons.  Oh,
AND yes, nearly 25% of all assault is female on man, so these rules apply to both sexes.

Reason # 1


Research shows the number one reason women get assaulted is due to poor body language.  In other words, how you walk, how you carry yourself when you are out in public is a large factor in determining if you get targeted.

Do you recognize yourself in this description?

Do you walk with your head down, your shoulders slumped, your chest in?  Do you generally keep your hands in your pockets? Do you walk with purpose or just shuffle along at a slow pace?  Do you make any eye contact?

Some people are under the impression, if they appear small, no one will notice them.  Well, they are wrong and potentially inviting trouble!

Attackers are looking for people they believe will give them little or no resistance.  The attacker wants to get in quickly, strike and take his victim to a secondary location without being seen or heard.  They are looking for someone who appears to be weak, afraid or timid.  Attackers are basically cowards and they don't want to attack anyone that they can't control easily!  So, if you look like you might put up a fight, there is a good chance the attacker will pass on you.

Why do you think the elderly get attacked so often?  Because a 90 year old is not expected to put up much of a fight if confronted!  It's a miracle that they can even walk, right?

So, I want YOU to start today, changing how you walk!  I want you to walk with a purposeful stride, like you know where you are going and what you want.  I want you to walk with your head up, shoulders back and chest pumped out!  You are walking with some "attitude" and your body language is communicating CONFIDENCE! 

You want to allow your arms to swing with each stride, as psychologically, this makes you appear to be larger than you really are.  Plus, having your arms free allows you to react quicker if attacked.

Yes, I want you to make EYE CONTACT! The kind that says "I know you are there and I am making sure you know I know....and by the way, I am not afraid of you" kind of eye contact.
Need more convincing?  Just take a look around you and watch people walking in the grocery store or in the parking lot.  I am pretty certain you will be able to spot the people who are confident and portray a very strong body language and the ones who don't.

One last note about body language.  One of the most important aspects of walking with a strong body image is having your head up.  This gives your eyes the ability to remain vigilant, constantly looking for potential danger.

Reason # 2

The second most common reason women get assaulted is lack of awareness.
Are you the type that turns their back to the crowd when answering your cell phone?  I know you are trying to be polite and make the conversation quiet and private, however, you are creating a perfect opportunity to strike.

Are you someone who likes to carry a big pocket book?  I remember my mother carried this huge bag around that I could get lost in when I was a young child.  Trying to find the car keys sometimes took days!
Well, I might be exaggerating, but you get my point.  When you become focused on a singular task, that is the time that attackers like to strike.

How about sitting in your car texting or maybe updating your check book since you were shopping and purchased some items?  Another big NO, NO!

Walking into the rest room without checking to see if anyone was following you?  Looking for something in the trunk of your car?  Running the neighborhood with your Ipod at full blast and your earphones on both ears?

We live in a society filled with so many distractions every day, however, we MUST do all we can to be alert and aware when we are out somewhere and potentially vulnerable!

Reason # 3

Being in the wrong place at the wrong time!

We can't always control this, but we need to be aware and try to avoid places that could potentially be dangerous.  For example, the roof of the parking garage at the mall late at night, say during the Christmas holidays, when the stores stay open late.  Conversely, parking in the basement of a downtown parking garage.  Parking far away from the football stadium in a poorly lit parking lot.  Leaving your place of work by yourself late at night.

If you live in a city, walking down a dark alley!

Hopefully you get the picture.

I feel like you can't always prevent this, because sometimes there are circumstances beyond your control (getting a flat tire on a country road or highway); however, be mindful of potential areas that you would be vulnerable in and avoid them to the best of your ability.  Try to leave work with a friend or make arrangements to have someone pick you up.  Be patient and search for another parking spot that isn't so far away or in an area that has better security.  Don't try to change that car tire.  Call a family member or friend for help.

The Big Three

Attackers pick their victims for lots of reasons and there is NO way to predict with 100% accuracy how to avoid an attack.  However, research has shown the above reasons to be the 3 most consistent reasons given  by attackers that were caught.

If you work on creating a confident and strong body language, maintain a high alert level at all times and  avoid areas that could represent trouble for you, then you will go a long way towards helping yourself stay safe!



Sensei Chris Feldt

Samurai Karate Studio

2000 Clemson Road
Suite # 9
Columbia, SC 29229
803-462-9425
samuraikarate@bellsouth.net

Non Verbal Pre-Attack Indicators

For those of you that follow me, you know that I believe there are primarily 3 main reasons women get assaulted.  And they are, body language, lack of awareness and being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Today, I would like to talk more about awareness and consider some of the warning signs of possible attack.  I call these NON VERBAL ATTACK INDICATORS.

Remember, in most instances, your assailant is looking for an easy target and more often than not, the bad guy will take his time to watch and assess his selection.  There are some assailants that have been known to have studied their victims over a considerable length of time.  When I do my self defense workshops, I will often refer to this as "window shopping".    The attacker is trying to decide which women to attack, so he is window shopping for the one he thinks is going to be the weakest and put up the least amount of resistence.  Remember, assault is meant to be quick.....and if the plan is to abduct you, the attacker wants to get you from point A to point B as quietly and quickly as possible.

Non Verbal Attack Indicators

What do I mean by non verbal attack indicators?

I am looking for unspoken signs that may indicate that I am possibly being targeted for assault.  To the trained and experienced eye, they are quite noticeable, however, to the common person who is hardly paying attention in the first place, you may not recognize them.

What kind of signs?

Consider some of the following indicators:

Unnatural impediment to your movement - This could be a car or wall that you are positioned against that inhibits escape or prevents you from seeking help.  This also could be a room with a blocked exit or even a building with locked doors.  Assailants try to position you against an immoveable object to help keep you in place and which helps prevent escape.

Correlation of someone's movement to your own - As you wander through the local mall, you have spotted the same person at the mall entrance, 3 stores down, and now, just a few isles away.  To me, this is stalking and you need to be aware for your safety.  In the last few highly documented cases of child abduction, the store video camera showed the kidnappers stalking the child in different parts of the store and parking lot before abducting the children.

Any sudden change in a person's status as you get near or pass - This could be moving hands out of pockets, bringing the hands out from under a coat, or a sudden change in alertness, sitting more upright, etc.  As the assailant prepares to strike, there usually is a greater sense of intensity.  Look for a physical change in the demeanor of that stranger that's on the side walk approaching you.

Predatory movement -- This could most noticibly be circling positioning.  This can happen on foot or in a car.  You see someone at the entrance to the cafeteria, suddenly, they are a few tables down from you when you eat, only to be just in front or behind you as you exit the cafe.  Anytime you feel like you are being followed, follow your gut instincts and seek safety immediately.

Target glancing – You see someone you are not sure about and every time you look at them, they turn their eyes away or glance down....almost as if on que when you look.  It may be coincidental, but it also could mean they don't want you to see their intention, nor do they want you to recognize them.

Persons closing on you from oblique angles to meet your path - I sometimes refer to this as an angle of attack.  You are walking in a parking lot and you see somone in the distance, but it appears that they are walking away from you.  Only as you get closer to your car, you realize the path you are walking is actually going to intersect with the stranger.  The angle makes it appear that you are safe, becasuse no one is directly approaching you, but eventually, the attacker will encounter you unless you change your direction.

A hand hidden from view - This mignt mean nothing, or be indicative of a hidden weapon, piece of rope, etc.  If your in a position where you feel vulnerable, you want to be sure to see the hands of someone approaching or walking near you.

Bumps, shoves, pushes, or grabs - What appears to be just an accidental bump or push, could actually be a test? A test to see what kind of reaction you give.  Did you notice?  Did your body language change?  Did you say something?  These are all signs that the assailant could be testing you to better understand your resovle if you were attacked and/or abducted.  Of course, in a crowded bar or in the stands during a USC game is different from walking into someone on the elevator.  Keep perspective at all times.

Relative absence of other people or authorities - Goes without saying.  The assailant does not want to be seen or heard when he strikes, so often times they will wait until no one is around.  This is a time when you need to be more alert.

A vehicle stopping along side you slightly to the front or rear - If you feel like you are being followed by a car, you should drive directly to the police station or a public area where you can seek help.  If you are broken down on the side of the rode, keep your windows locked and call for help and wait for help to arrive.  Letting a complete stranger help you on the side of the road is very dangerous.

Any second pass of a vehicle - This goes back to the stalking concept.  If you see the same person or car in mulitiple locations, time to worry.  Seek help immediately.

Any intoxicated person - A potential risk for a couple of reasons.  One, if they are under the influence, they may not realize what they are doing.  Two, they may pretend to be intoxicated only to let your guard down and be fooled.  Three, someone under the influence generally has a much higher pain threshhold, which might make it more difficult to defend yourself.  The best self defense is to avoid the frat parties or the 5 points date, where you no alchohol is going to be present.

Overly enthusiastic offering of help - It's like the stranger that offers a small child a bunch of candy.  Beware, you might be assisted by someone who generally wants to help you, but it also could be someone who wants you to think he is your friend and let your guard down and strike when you are not ready.

Obvious attempts at 'baiting' you - Often this technique is used when emotions are hot and anger is uncontrolled.  This is used commonly during a domestic violence dispute.  Control the urge -- walk away and seek help.

A parked car or van, next to your car in a deserted parking lot - An immediate warning sign, especially if there are plenty of prime parking spots located up close to the building you want to enter.  This one is generally easy to see, so stay alert.

An isolated location, where the attacker would not likely be seen, heard or recognized - This could be a parking garage, a mall parking lot, say during the holidays where you are forced to park on the fringe of the mall lot or in a parking garage.  This could probably be 1,000 different locations on campus.  

Again, think of the time of day, relative danger and stay alert.  Ask for assistance from the campus police if you are unsure or afraid.

These are just some of the top indicators that come to mind, but realistically, there are probably hundreds that could be called out and identified.  For me, the most important thing you can do is try to AVOID dangerous situations where you are more at risk, i.e. walking around campus in the dark, hanging out in 5 points after hours, etc, and ALWAYS try and remain hyper alert.  Just like the United States has a terriost alert status, so should you have one for your own personal safety.

Stay alert and be aware!

And you will have a better chance of spotting a non verbal attack indicator, that hopefully will be enough to thwart the would be attacker to go elsewhere.  

Sensei Chris Feldt

Samurai karate Studio

Columbia, SC 29229

803-462-9425

   

The 4 Levels of Mastery Training

This past week during my Bujutsu training, my instructor took a few minutes during our training to talk about what he believed were the 4 levels of training mastery. I have thought about what he said and wanted to share them with you. The reality is, you can probably apply these same concepts to most anything you do in life.

1. Unconscious Incompetence
This is when you first start out in your training and you have no idea what you are doing and more importantly, why you are doing it. You are going through the motions with little regard for stances, balance, power, form or speed. This is most definitely a white belt, or beginner student.

2. Conscious Incompetence
This best describes the student who is advancing from beginner to intermediate. The student has begun to understand many of the principles involved in training, but doesn't have the experience to execute the majority of them. Techniques are beginning to form and the student tends to be less awkward.

3. Conscious Competence
As many of us progress into the more advanced stages (black belt level) of our training, this is where most of us stay. We can execute most techniques at a high level, understanding most of the principles involved in footwork, balance, power, and speed. We can look at a form or kata and break it down into little pieces and translate the basic blocks, strikes and kicks. This is considered a high level of training.

4. Unconscious Competence
This is what my instructor characterized as the highest level of training; a level that we should all aspire to train at. This is for the advanced student who has trained for many years and through repetition, acts on instinct, without really needing to think about what to do.

I thought this was a great way to talk about our (your) training and a depending on what your goals are, something to shoot for. Level 4 is much like master. Something we are always striving for and within reach, but never quite grasping.
What level are you at?

I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times. Bruce Lee

Sensei Chris Feldt

Samurai Karate Studio

Columbia, SC 29229
803-462-9425
samuraikaratestudio@gmail.com