Is the news about the latest late-night attack making you nervous about walking home at night? Are you clueless about how to fight off a would-be attacker? Your personal safety is paramount and you should be able to go about your day without worrying about what other people could do to you. The following are three things to know about their own personal safety and what they can do to prevent or fight off a possible assailant:
Awareness
Self-defence begins long before you are in the situation where physical contact is necessary. You need to be aware of your surroundings at all times. Studies show that criminals target victims who appear to be unaware of what is happening in their surroundings. If you are walking home alone and the street is quiet and empty, you need to be aware that if something were to happen, nobody will be around to witness it. If someone suddenly appears, try your best to not get to close and look for escape points if the need arises. You can call someone you trust and speak to them as you are walking by them. Talk about where you are so the person on the other line knows where you are. This is just one example of being aware of your surroundings and acting accordingly.
Vigilance
If your intuition is telling you something is amiss, you should believe it and act upon it. Take steps in order to avoid a person or situation that doesn’t feel right. Like in the example noted above, if you are alone on a quiet street and you don’t get a good feeling about the person walking towards you, take steps to prevent a possible attack. Of course, this doesn’t mean you should take the initiative and attack someone who could be innocently minding his own business. Just find a safe alternate route home, like on a well-lit and well-trafficked road.
Training
What if the man walking down the street is planning an attack? What if he grabs a hold of you even though you were aware and made every attempt to prevent this kind of situation? A defensive martial art like karate can teach you various ways to use your body to protect yourself. Its philosophy teaches you awareness and understanding that the best defence rests in not being caught in a dangerous situation. There is, of course, a clear acceptance of the need to be physically and mentally prepared for any situation.
The Academy of Martial Arts (AMA) can teach you awareness and self-defence in a safe and comfortable class environment, so contact your nearest location for more information.
