Self defence ideas

[jennyjj01]

Agree 100% about the "thinking they will win" thing. Mr GB sometimes needs a walking stick and has noticed that the "trouble" types look at him quite differently with/without the stick. He has had 2 bouts of being approached/surrounded when using the stick. Threatening looking groups both dispersed fast when said stick was raised in a way that looked worrying. He has never been approached when out without the stick.
Predators pick off the vulnerable. Try not to look vulnerable.....

Interesting! Having the defensive weapon made him more likely to need it, but then it worked. Another vote for being 'grey'

[Vitamin c]

In this situation ..gray...won't work .
These sorts of people target the weak, old or not as strong as them,muggers never target 20st bodybuilders.

You must show confidence be assertive.. I will not take no s..it.

Skulking around in the background is exactly what they seek.

[jennyjj01]

In this situation ..gray...won't work .
These sorts of people target the weak, old or not as strong as them,muggers never target 20st bodybuilders.

You must show confidence be assertive.. I will not take no s..it.

Skulking around in the background is exactly what they seek.

I confess..... I seldom wander through rough neighbourhoods at night, so I'm no expert. I seldom encounter such predators, but I acknowledge they exist and would be more prevalent if society breaks down.

I agree totally about looking confident. That can make them see you less compared to say some frail old lady coming from the Post Office.

My suggested defence.... Not so much skulking in the background, but choosing and owning your space.

1. Don't be where 'they' are likely to be! (quiet stairwells? dark alleys or footpaths? riot zones?)
2. If you need to be where they are likely to be, then don't look like a potential victim. Don't engage them. That might mean walking with a certain assertive sense of purpose. Or of course, don't be alone if you can avoid it..
3. Look to be not worth attacking. If carrying a stick, look like you don't need it for support.
4. Why are you there again? Get in, get out, get to safety, promptly.
5. If these ne-erdowells are on your territory, aspire to stand your ground and have them on the defensive.

Not a comprehensive plan, but I've never been attacked, so it seems to have worked so far.

[jansman]

In this situation ..gray...won't work .
These sorts of people target the weak, old or not as strong as them,muggers never target 20st bodybuilders.

You must show confidence be assertive.. I will not take no s..it.

Skulking around in the background is exactly what they seek.

I confess..... I seldom wander through rough neighbourhoods at night, so I'm no expert. I seldom encounter such predators, but I acknowledge they exist and would be more prevalent if society breaks down.

I agree totally about looking confident. That can make them see you less compared to say some frail old lady coming from the Post Office.

My suggested defence.... Not so much skulking in the background, but choosing and owning your space.

1. Don't be where 'they' are likely to be! (quiet stairwells? dark alleys or footpaths? riot zones?)
2. If you need to be where they are likely to be, then don't look like a potential victim. Don't engage them. That might mean walking with a certain assertive sense of purpose. Or of course, don't be alone if you can avoid it..
3. Look to be not worth attacking. If carrying a stick, look like you don't need it for support.
4. Why are you there again? Get in, get out, get to safety, promptly.
5. If these ne-erdowells are on your territory, aspire to stand your ground and have them on the defensive.

Not a comprehensive plan, but I've never been attacked, so it seems to have worked so far.

Precisely.

[Jeffjones297]

Self defence, relies on "your honestly held belief" about the nature of the attack AND that your response was "reasonable, proportionate and necessary"

If it's your, honestly held belief (remember those words) he, the attacker is trying to cause you serious harm, or even kill you, then you fight him off, however you are able to.
If you are able to fight him off and he runs off, it's over, stop. If you chase him, catch him and beat him severely, it's no longer self defence, you have assaulted him !

If he has a knife, you wrestle it off him and he runs off, it's over, stop. If you then stab him as he's trying to run away, that's assault.

Reasonable = if he's armed with a weapon or knife and you use a weapon to defend yourself that's reasonable.

Proportionate = as above, you should use as much force as is necessary to deter, or disarm your attacker, then stop.

Necessary = if he's threatening you but doesn't do anything, it's not necessary for you to use force but you can still do other things to keep yourself safe, like call for help, or put a desk or table between you and him.

Remember when interviewed, it was your "honestly held belief" that counts. Just keep saying that, "I really believed he was going to hurt me"

[jansman]

Over my lifetime,I have been in a scrap or two ! I’ve been hurt,I’ve hurt them,and been arrested too. I’ve been a bit of a lad! I have also served in HM services and been in a scrap or two where we used guns!

Self defence is needed if needed. Only IF though. My experience is that avoidance is the best. In fact when we were taught hand to hand combat ,we were taught strongly to avoid it if possible!

Sorry to use my current situation ,but as my life is on its way out,I have made sure that house security is sound,access to the garden is secure and so forth. We have cameras and alarms etc. My wife is in the habit of locking the back door …you understand.

Prevention is better than ‘cure’ - as being in Court ( or worse) is not a good idea.

[korolev]

This popped up on my feed the other day (odd really as mostly it's smart home and football), seems like good advice:
https://youtube.com/shorts/TZGQveDXFYk?feature=shared

[GeeGee]

Over my lifetime,I have been in a scrap or two ! I’ve been hurt,I’ve hurt them,and been arrested too. I’ve been a bit of a lad! I have also served in HM services and been in a scrap or two where we used guns!

Self defence is needed if needed. Only IF though. My experience is that avoidance is the best. In fact when we were taught hand to hand combat ,we were taught strongly to avoid it if possible!

Sorry to use my current situation ,but as my life is on its way out,I have made sure that house security is sound,access to the garden is secure and so forth. We have cameras and alarms etc. My wife is in the habit of locking the back door …you understand.

Prevention is better than ‘cure’ - as being in Court ( or worse) is not a good idea.

I agree prevention is better
When that man jumped on me in the showers at the pool the staff dealt with it immediately it was horrible but they were on it ...
When I was being interviewed after the I said to the police that if I hadn't had shampoo on my head and suds all over they'd have him as he'd still be on the floor !!
I was told oh good grief no dont do that you'd be in a lot of trouble.. could be in big trouble ...
He jumped on me with nasty intentions but I was warned that if I had done anything then I'd be carted off too
So I listened I didn't like it and still don't but listened
Its a council pool but does have 4 cubicles you can lock to shower in ..instead of the rows ..and 99% of the time I go in there now ..I look to see when one comes available and get myself out.. with bag of showering stuff already hung on hook for a quick grab
I know that we shouldn't have to avoid things but its just the way it is ..

[korolev]

He jumped on me with nasty intentions but I was warned that if I had done anything then I'd be carted off too
So I listened I didn't like it and still don't but listened

If the Police turn up to an incident and it's not clear who's done what then they may well arrest both parties.
If that happens, be compliant and say nothing about the incident until you have spoken to a solicitor (you are entitled to see the duty solicitor for free).
Under no circumstances accept a police caution; people have, in the past, done so in order to "draw a line under it and go home". A caution means you have a criminal record and the police have a solved crime to boost their statistics.

[Jeffjones297]

I agree with the say nothing without representation, with one proviso. At first be polite, be cooperative, don't be argumentative. In a situation where you were genuinely in danger and protecting yourself, you have the right to do so.
That said, some police will always side with the criminal (lefty leaning cops who went to uni) and are looking to catch out a fascist like you lol
In that instance, do as above but when it becomes obvious they are deliberately trying to fit you up, get you to say something incriminating, then say, "I'm sorry but I think it's against my best interests to continue this, until I've spoken to the duty solicitor" and stick to it.
All that, "if you're innocent you've no reason not to talk" is crap.
All the time, you should remember the words "I honestly believed he was going to hurt/try to kill/harm my children"
It's your honestly held belief that counts, repeat it ad naseum and remember, anything that you did, must have been "reasonable and necessary"
Never say "he deserved it" or "I was angry" etc etc. Say instead "I was terrified" "he was crazy looking" "he was saying he was going to kill my wife/kids/me"

Anything you use as a weapon, however innocuous, is an offensive weapon, if the purpose is exclusively or primarily self defense. A heavy book, or table lamp, or heavy ornament, is just as it's described, the fact that the weight came in handy when defending your life is innocent. None of those objects are in your home, or possession for defence, they just fell to hand at the time.

It needs to be said and said again, the police are not your friends (and I had a good neighbour who was a detective inspector and he was a good bloke !) His police mates that I met, were *****.

If you must have something defensive, in strategic places, make sure it's explainable where it's kept. Knives are kept in the kitchen, not the bedroom. You might keep your golf clubs in the hallway but when did you last play golf ? It's not strange to have some tools in your car, or laying around the home, if you do diy. I happen to have something, near the front and back doors, I won't say what because I've been told we don't discuss that. But they're explainable and will do the job when needed.

And as stated, avoid if at all possible, locks and cameras are better than self defense and the possibility of going to court and possibly leaving your family defenceless, if convicted.