(1) How will you defend your person, property, and family, if needed?
(2) How should
other people defend their person, property and family, if needed?
I've broken this into two questions for the simple reason that announcing how YOU will defend these things often comes off as a suggestion for all; clarify, if at all possible, whether you think your solution is ideal for everyone.
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I live in a very safe city. We have one of the lowest crime rates in the state, and probably one of the lowest in the nation. And yet I'm able to find dozens and dozens of violent encounters documented in our local Police Blotter with only a cursory glance. Here's a few that stuck out:
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On 4/14/08 officers were dispatched [...] regarding an assault that just occurred. When officers arrived they found a semi-conscious male suffering from extensive facial injuries. The victim had been assaulted with a metal drain pipe and a broom stick by multiple male suspects. The suspects left the area on bicycles and are their identity is not known at this time. The victim suffered a fractured cheek bone, fractured nose, and numerous facial contusions. The victim was unable to provide much information regarding the assault because of his injuries.
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On 04/15/08 at approximately 1:16 AM [...] officers were dispatched [...] regarding a personal robbery that just occurred. When officers arrived they contacted the victim and a witness. The victim said she had just used the ATM [...] and was returning to her friend's car when the suspect confronted her with a knife. The suspect ordered the victim to lie on the ground and demanded her money. As the victim gave the suspect her cash, he threatened to stab her in the face. The suspect then left the area on foot.
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[...] officers were dispatched to the area of 805 N Murray Blvd, the ENT Federal Credit Union, regarding a personal robbery that just occurred. When officers arrived they contacted the victim and a witness. The victim said she had just used the ATM located at the ENT Federal Credit Union, 805 N Murray Blvd, and was returning to her friend's car when the suspect confronted her with a knife. The suspect ordered the victim to lie on the ground and demanded her money. As the victim gave the suspect her cash, he threatened to stab her in the face. The suspect then left the area on foot.
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[...] officers were dispatched [...] in regards to an armed robbery that just occurred. Both the victim and his friend were sitting in a vehicle in the parking lot when the suspect pulled in next to them. The suspect spoke to the victim and his friend briefly before pointing a gun at the victim and demanding his wallet. The victim said he did not have a wallet, only a cell phone and his keys. The suspect took the victim's cell phone and keys, leaving the area in a dark colored 2 door vehicle. Officers checked the area for the suspect with negative contact.
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[...] Police Department responded to a disturbance. [...] Upon arrival, officers located a man with a possible stab wound in the parking lot of the Burger King just north of the Tavern. He was transported to Memorial Hospital where he later died from his injuries.
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Officers [...] were dispatched to an in progress domestic disturbance in the. The victim, Sonja Kirchner, stated her boyfriend was involved in a physical altercation with her. The boyfriend, identified as Edmund Cheesman had left the apartment. While officers were responding, Cheesman forced open the door to the residence and poured camping fuel on Ms Kirchner and the apartment, threatening to light her on fire. Cheesman left prior to officers arriving on scene.
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Officers were dispatched to a victim's residence regarding a robbery that had occurred approximately 15 minutes earlier in the parking lot of Save-A-Lot at 405 S Circle Drive. The two victims reported that they were walking in the area when the suspect approached them and asked for a cigarette. When one victim handed the suspect a cigarette, the suspect pulled a knife and demanded their money. The victims gave the suspect a small amount of cash and the suspect fled on foot.
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Officers were called to Twisters, 2810 E. Fountain Boulevard, on a report of a stabbing. The investigation revealed that the victim, an employee of the bar, was escorting a patron out of the business when he was stabbed by the patron.
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Officer N. Bayne conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle running a red signal light [...]. Upon contact with the male driver, Officer Bayne suspected him of driving under the influence of alcohol. A 40 year old female occupied the passenger seat and disclosed to Officer Bayne that she had been beaten up by the 33 year old driver (her ex-boyfriend). The driver was detained and evaluated for suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol. The female sustained a severe beating and was transported and treated at a local hospital. She sustained a concussion, lacerations and multiple contusions. The beating allegedly was delivered as a result of jealousy. The female victim was forced into her ex-boyfriend's vehicle after partying at a downtown nightclub and being accused of flirting with male clientele. While traveling throughout the city, the male allegedly beat her while stopped at stop signs. The male allegedly threatened to kill her and dump her body somewhere in the countryside.
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[...] officers responded concerning a possible kidnapping incident. An adult female was reporting that her 34-year-old husband was being held against his will by people who were trying to force him to pay money [...]. The female also reported that she too had been held against her will and robbed by the same suspects a short time earlier. She had managed to get away from the suspects prior to calling the police.
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[...] officers were dispatched to the 7-11 store located at 5 S Circle Dr regarding a robbery that just occurred. A hispanic male in his early 20's approximately 5'09 tall, medium build, bald, wearing a blue bandana, blue jeans and a blue/white plaid jacket or flannel displayed a small pistol. The suspect did not get anything from the victim, leaving the area on foot. K-9 officers attempted a track; however were not able to locate the suspect.
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[...] officers were dispatched on the report of a home invasion involving a gun. The investigation revealed that two unknown black males, possibly in their 20's forced their way into an apartment, displayed a handgun, and ransacked the apartment. The suspects fled the scene in an unknown direction. A K9 track was attempted and was met with negative results. At this time the location and identity of the suspects remain unknown. Investigation is continuing.
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It's pretty clear that the question I should be asking is not "Will I ever be the target of a violent predator" but "When will it happen?" In my specific case, "Will I ever be the target of a violent predator" is already Yes; I had a knife pulled out and tapped meaningfully against my sternum by an ..erm...
young black gentleman because I bumped into his "sister" at an indoor roller rink.
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FIRST QUESTION: I defend myself, my property and my family in two ways;
(1) I utilize my knowledge of crime:
* I know that your chance of being the victim of a violent crime (battery, assault, (armed) robbery, carjacking, etc.) increases inversely to the economic status of an area. Knowing this, I avoid "low income" areas when at all possible, and I advise my loved ones to do the same.
* I know that the majority of violent property and person related crimes occur between dusk and dawn, so I am more vigilant in these hours with regards to my personal safety and the safety of the people I am with.
* I have a basic rule for defending myself that distance = time. When I feel like I am being watched or followed, I cross the street or quicken my pace. The more distance there is between me and a potential perpetrator, the more time I have to think and react. Similarly, the more distance I create between myself and a would-be assailant, the more likely any harm they inflict is non-fatal.
* I understand that predation, whether it is sexual assault or simple battery and theft, occurs against those who an present themselves as victims. Just like a lion watches a herd of zebras to find the one who is the slowest, who looks least attached to the group, who looks like they wouldn't put up much of a challenge, a predator looks to people who exhibit these characteristics. When in places where I'm likely to be victimized, I walk tall and quickly, and I make direct eye contact with people who scare me. It might not be enough, but it's enough to subconsciously let someone know that I won't be harmed as easily as someone who isn't aware of them.
* I know that alcohol and drugs are the number one 'causative factor' in violent confrontations, so I only consume them when in reasonably safe environments. I explicitly avoid highly populated bars and clubs for this reason.
(2) I own and maintain a firearm, which I store for home defense and carry for legal self-defense when the conditions above are unavoidable.
This one is certainly more controversial, but I think it's just as important as my steps above. There are MANY, MANY situations where I
don't have the time to flee, where I don't have time to talk down a violent criminal. There are times when my life (or my personal safety - see "beaten with a drain pipe" above) is immediately threatened. In those cases, I have no problem lawfully and justifiably stopping the threat.
I have little experience with martial self-defense, and I believe that "weaker" techniques (grappling, throws, disarmament) and "weaker" devices (stun-guns, mace, ASP) are ineffectual in these situations. If someone has placed me in a situation where I cannot flee, de-escalate or call the police, it is very likely that they pose a clear and immediate danger to my life.
In the case of a home invasion robbery, this is almost always the case. The average police response time, as studied by the FBI, for my city? 14 minutes. In 14 minutes, as noted above, a criminal can invade, physically harm, steal and flee before they even arrive. I'm
NOT WILLING to allow someone to violate me in such a way because of ethical concerns about the sanctity of their life.
This question ("how will I defend myself") is, by itself, the reason that I am a gun-owning, gun-lobby supporting liberal. Most others liberals are strongly anti-gun, and I stick out like a sore thumb. I'm comfortable sticking out, however, because personal defense is extremely important to me. As an atheist, I also acknowledge that this is the only life I get, and I'm not comfortable taking the risk that someone can end my life for me because I failed to prepare for the possibility that they would try.
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SECOND QUESTION:
I think that (1) can be used by everyone. The more you know about crime, the more likely you are to avoid being a victim. That said, the odds are NOT in your favor - the majority of criminals are repeat offenders, and they are released from prison over and over again with ever-increasing rates of recidivism.
I can understand having an ethical concern with killing someone, but I do not have such qualms. For those of you who have an ethical system which makes it wrong to kill someone in self defense, I hope your ethical system also allows you to forgive someone for anything they do to you, assuming you are left alive.
I do not think that everyone can adopt #2; some people truly do have an ethical belief that no one should be killed. Some people are not responsible enough to own and safely operate a handgun, and some people do not have the physical dexterity, strength, or concentration to use one effectively. I honestly wish that MORE people were able to adopt 2, but I do accept that it is not the answer for everyone.
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Originally Posted by dksuddeth's signature
"[R]esistance to sudden violence, for the preservation not only of my person, my limbs, and life, but of my property, is an indisputable right of nature which I have never surrendered to the public by the compact of society, and which perhaps, I could not surrender if I would." -John Adams
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So - what about you? How do you defend yourself, your property and your family?