Blaze News readers are well aware of the sharp rise in violent crime on our streets, particularly physical attacks against vulnerable people, which can appear disturbingly randomly or escalate into excessive acts of violence. Masu.
The list of disappointments seems endless. A hooded and masked man was caught on video pushing a 68-year-old woman backwards down an outdoor church staircase and stealing her purse and car as she headed for mass in Queens, New York, on Sunday. Ta. on her head on the sidewalk.
Brazen robbery in which a woman was punched and pushed down the steps of a New York City church.youtube.be
Here are some other recent incidents.
- Many terrified women reported unprovoked attacks by men on the streets of Manhattan during March, often in broad daylight.
- Philadelphia police say three women repeatedly punched and stomped a female railroad crossing guard after an argument in November, leaving the 29-year-old victim hospitalized.
- In October, authorities accused a 25-year-old Winchester, Calif., man of punching a 68-year-old market worker in the face, knocking him out and leaving him hospitalized with a skull fracture and bleeding on the brain.
Self-defense experts give their opinions
Covered by Blaze News john duza Dsouza, a San Diego-based self-defense and weapons instructor, talks about the growing dangers around us and shares some steps everyone can take right now to reduce the chance of becoming a victim of physical danger. I introduced it. attack.
“Criminals have reshaped our world,” D’Souza told Blaze News, adding that criminals now “determine when and how” crimes are committed and are rapidly gaining the upper hand. He added that “You have to be the predator, not the prey.”
But Dsouza says that in order to do that, most of us need to step back from our “sitting duck” lifestyles, rethink and pivot, take reasonable precautions and learn valuable basic self-defense techniques. He said they need to start acquiring know-how. If you don’t know how to swim, you’ll drown. ”
D’Souza added that the “first 30 seconds” of a street attack determine whether the victim survives, is injured or worse. It is up to each of us how to deal with such situations. Especially when, in this era of reduced crime, “criminals show no mercy and do whatever they want.”
Become a “hard target” instead of a “soft target”
“You have to put yourself in the shoes of a criminal,” D’Souza said. “They’re looking for an easy target,” he said, adding that they’re “not going to mess with” someone who is “walking around tall and looking around like a bad guy.” Ta.
Duza’s tips include:
Become a champion of surveillance. Scan 360 degrees of your surroundings when you’re out and about. Then scan 10 feet, then 50 feet, then 100 feet. He said it’s no different from what drivers instinctively do: keep a close eye on traffic coming from all directions. He added: “I keep looking over my shoulder every few steps to see if someone is sneaking up behind me.” D’Souza said this is “not living in fear, just being prepared and being aware.” After all, if you see someone walking fast behind you and quickly catch up, it’s better to know in advance than it is too late. He also advised that “awareness buys time, time buys options, and those options buy survival and escape,” adding, “The worst attacks are the ones you never see coming.” Ta. At least no chance to protect yourself.
This is one of Duza’s practical self-defense videos. instagram page:
Train your situational awareness. Be on the lookout for suspicious activity. Train your eyes and ears to see and hear everything around you. Also, if you’re listening to something on your phone, use only one earbud so you can listen to any potential hazards with the other ear.
Pay attention to the details. Were there multiple attackers? Was he a solo attacker? When you call 911, D’Souza said, give as much detail as possible about what happened. He added that an effective “drill” is to look at the person behind you for three seconds while queuing, then turn around and list three things about that person. D’Souza said the best options are gender, ethnicity and facial features. As for clothing details, he said criminals can easily take off and change clothes, and “all colors appear darker at night.”
Observe other people’s body language. “The eyes are the windows to the soul, but the hands are the window to intentions,” D’Souza said, warning people to check what they are doing with their hands. towards you? Be alert and take action. ”
Be especially alert and cautious in dangerous areas, especially at night. D’Souza told Blaze News that banks, ATMs, gas stations, convenience stores, parking lots and alleys, to name just a few, are “crime hotspots” and “are places where you can find unsuspecting victims. He said he was just waiting for the release. He added that filling up for gas late at night becomes a “sitting duck”, with crooks “waiting for it” and “easy to rob”. Mr D’Souza said vigilance remained paramount as “more daring criminals” could attempt robberies even during daylight hours.
Make sure no one is following you, especially when you go home. “Make sure to take a different route so that criminals can’t check your daily movements,” D’Souza said, adding that if you think you’re being followed, “make three consecutive left and right turns.” He added that this is a good method. If the driver behind you makes the same turn, “go to the police station instead of home.” Another point is to “protect your home address,” he added. That’s because if the suspect remains behind and arrives at your home, “now they know where you live,” he added.
Carry self-defense equipment with you and know how to use it. Duza said the reason he doesn’t want self-defense equipment used against him, whether it’s pepper spray, a knife or a gun, is because he lacks the skills to use and hold it. Told.
Enhance home security. Install cameras and hardened locks on doors and windows to create layers of home defense that act as obstacles that slow down criminals. Duza points out that scammers are “looking for homes that are more likely targets,” and if they have strong locks in place, they’re more likely to say, “No, let’s go next door.” He added that his parents needed to agree on a “code word” to shout out during a home invasion, and that everyone in the family knew their “escape route” for the home invasion.
Your car is the target! D’Souza said it’s best to do a 360-degree scan for potential threats before getting into your car: “How do you know someone isn’t right behind you?” Additionally, he said that we should all lock our car doors the moment we get in the car and leave the car immediately instead of sitting in the car with a “vulnerable” look on our faces. . Duza added that it’s also important to disable automatic unlocking on all doors when parking your car or using your key fob. Otherwise, criminals could “come in through the back door,” he said. He added that it’s best not to use your car’s GPS because a car thief can know where you live by simply searching for “home” on your car’s GPS. . The same goes for documents containing your home address, which are usually kept in your glove compartment. Duza said you can easily keep it in your wallet or handbag instead.
Our number one distraction is our cell phones. D’Souza advised people to avoid distractions while on the phone in public. Instead, he said, “Be purposeful until you reach your destination. Keep your phone in your pocket or bag so you can focus on your surroundings to spot hazards.” . He added that “criminals are looking for people who have been distracted for surprise attacks.” D’Souza also told Blaze News that we should keep our phones locked in public places in case someone steals our phones. Bottom line: Once your unlocked phone is stolen by a criminal, all your sensitive information such as bank numbers and credit card numbers will be stolen.
There is safety in numbers. Douza added that people should always try to travel in groups when going out in public or using rideshares or public transportation whenever possible, and limit how often they are alone, especially at night. .
Don’t show off expensive items to yourself. Douza says going out and showing off your jewelry, designer bags and watches makes you a target for scammers. Instead, he told Blaze News people should “hide valuables to themselves” so criminals don’t try to get what they don’t have.
Hide valuables inside the house. D’Souza said that while metal safes are a good idea, “repurposed safes” such as coffee cans in the kitchen or paint cans in the garage are best for storing valuables. I will never doubt that there is. They will be eradicated.” Bedrooms and dresser drawers are where most people hide their valuables first. ”
Get the whole family trained in self-defense. (especially women, children, and the elderly). “The psychological trauma and injuries caused by the attack will haunt the victim forever,” D’Souza told Blaze News. “It’s best to train to be physically fit to protect yourself.” added. Victim or Survivor – Therefore, defending and escaping your attacker requires some degree of cardio and muscular endurance. If you tire out before your attacker does, you’ll succumb to the attack and get injured. (See Helen Roy’s recent article on this topic, “Self-defense for women: How to avoid being a target.”)
Aim for vulnerable parts of the attacker’s body. Those sensitive areas are the eyes, ears, nose, throat, groin and kneecaps, D’Souza said. He told Blaze News that he used the heel of his hand to attack the attacker’s nose, stuck his thumb or finger into the attacker’s eye, used his elbow to attack the attacker’s head, and used his knee to attack the attacker. He said he can attack the attacker’s groin, intestines and legs. Stomps and crushes the attacker’s knees. D’Souza said it’s not about winning street fights or becoming a UFC champion, as you often see in movies. Rather, the idea is to inflict enough pain to incapacitate or distract the bad guy, giving him enough time to “escape” and get a healthy start if the chase ensues. And it hurts attackers quickly, he said. “The longer you stay in a conflict scenario, the more likely you are to stack up against the odds, primarily because you’re physically tired.” D’Souza said that adults who attack by putting their thumbs in their eyes, even children, He pointed out that it can distract attention and buy time for escape.
Additionally, D’Souza told Blaze News that violent scammers want you to submit, and if you do, they will have full control. Therefore, we all need to develop these skills, make it a lifestyle and develop the mental strength to survive and escape without hesitation if attacked. The will to survive is “It has to be bigger than the attacker’s will to hurt you,” he said. ”
A word about guns
Blaze News is also a gun and crime expert. Crime Prevention Research Center — to hear his views on best practices regarding firearms for self-defense.
Lott told Blaze News that “people need to protect themselves because law enforcement isn’t going to do it for them,” especially as there are fewer and fewer legal actions against criminals. I feel it,” he said.
First, if you don’t own a gun because of various fears, there’s no reason to hesitate, Lott said. He told Blaze News that CDC statistics from the past 10 years show that the number of infant deaths caused by gun handling, for example, is incredibly low, and that children are “at higher risk of dying from lightning strikes.” is higher,” he said. Lott also said more than half of American households own guns, especially those with children.
Lott told Blaze News that people looking to get a gun would be wise to check out and handle a variety of guns in stores to make sure they fit their hand size and strength. Told.
Of course, he added, once you get a gun, “make sure you practice” and that it never hurts to “go to the range” to get trained to become comfortable with a gun. Lott also told Blaze News that gun owners need to be familiar with state and local laws regarding guns.
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