Staying Safe on City Streets.
Be safe - there are only two zones during a potential knife assault, “safe” and “unsafe”.
Being too close to a knife wielding lunatic is not an effective form of self defense. This is also true for someone that inadvertently walks into an existing violent incident on the streets. Many times people put themselves too close to violent confrontations that are not their business and end up being a statistic. Because you are trained in a form of martial or combat art, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you also are obliged to act in a heroic manner. A desired outcome to any violent confrontation is one’s ability through whatever means to minimize the potential harm that can be done to you or others during a physical assault or an assault with a weapon.
In a world of litigation it is desirable that the police are informed as soon as possible of any violent incident and particularly one that involves anyone armed with a bladed weapon. Bladed weapon harm minimization is founded on awareness and never assuming that an attacker is unarmed. Do not intervene in assaults that are not directly involving you as unfortunately, you may risk legal action from one or both of the participants if you do.
Call the police instead.
If you come upon a suspected crime or an assault in progress:
1) Stop and initiate your powers of observation rather than jumping in.
2) Do not rush into a situation without surveying the landscape.
3) Look for any indication of a bladed or edged weapon or its use.
4) Maintain a safe distance from the incident and be aware of your best tactical position
within your immediate environment.
5) If your involvement is necessary use verbal negotiation skills before any other action
is taken, except in the case of a direct attack.
6) Call the police ASAP.
It is in your interests to take note of the following:
1) The offender’s description.
2) If you suspect bladed or edged weapons are involved.
3) Who is directly involved in the incident and whether they have friends in the immediate vicinity or surrounding crowd.
You Should Also:
a) Not intervene if it is not absolutely necessary.
b) If possible avoid approaching or confronting any offender who is armed. If you must speak to the offender do so using a calm and non aggressive tone of voice and passive body language.
c) Keeps a safe distance (at least 10-12 meters) from any incident involving bladed weapons.
d) Be aware of your tactical positioning and move towards some form of solid barrier or safe haven should a sudden attack be launched in your direction.
e) Plan a course of action using any available improvised objects that you can put between yourself and the attacker should you become involved.
f) Consider all the environmental possibilities and plan the safest and most effective reaction should you be the subject of a bladed or edged weapon attack.
Try to formulate a backup plan should the initial tactics fail to protect you.
Be aware that diversion techniques are commonly used by criminals to distract their victims and even security personnel and Law Enforcement. If you are suddenly confronted by an offender, do not take unnecessary risks by assuming that the person is not armed with a bladed weapon. Cutting and stabbing weapons do not have to be big to be dangerous and even a fairly large knife is easily concealed in many positions on the body or limbs.
Heightened awareness is the most effective defense against being the victim of a stabbing or slashing attack.
Most importantly, it must be said that a primary self defense function when carrying out an emergency response to a violent incident is to prevent further physical injury or damage to yourself and others rather than simply being brave and putting your arse in the sling and hoping for the best.
On Edged Weapon Attacks.
There are only two kinds of bladed or edged weapon attack.
There is the attack that you are expecting and then there is the attack that you are not expecting. The chances of being seriously injured during the course of a knife assault which you are not expecting is significantly greater than in one where you have some forewarning of an imminent attack.
Ignoring the awareness factor will place your life and in turn the lives of others in danger.
The Internets Best Kept Secret.
A Question of Anatomy.