Family Safety and Self-Defense for Women and Thier Families

Seven key self-defense tips include:

1. Rely on your natural instincts. If something seems strange or raises a red flag, immediately move to a public area. Move quickly; the longer you wait to react, the harder it can be to escape a dangerous situation.

2. Scan your environment at all times. Avoid empty and dark places, and places where an attacker might hide. Go out in groups wherever possible.

3. Do not drop your guard in familiar places like work or near your home, and do not assume that violent crime won’t happen to you. Always be alert and aware. When coming home or getting into a car, have your keys out and ready to insert into the lock quickly, without fumbling. Be sure that your home or apartment is secure and has a quality alarm system.

4. If you live alone, set up a buddy system to check in regularly with friends and neighbors and have them check in with you. While this tactic may seem awkward, in today’s world, it could be a life saver.

5. Know that anything can be a weapon: keys, a purse, teeth, nails, a car door, a tree (which can trip up an attacker), dirt, shoes, and cell phones. Think about ways to use your body and ordinary objects to protect yourself if needed.

6. If approached or grabbed, you should know what to do. Shock and distract your attacker by screaming for help, biting, scratching, kicking, and doing whatever it takes to break free. Rely on natural instincts, and forget social graces. Your life may depend on it.

7. If you are attacked, never stop struggling. Look around for things you can use as a weapon. Do anything you can to get attention or a split second in order to run away.

Andrew Neitlich, Co-Founder of The Family Safety Institute, said, “Most of us are taught good manners and civilized behaviors. We teach them not to yell, bite, scratch, or kick. But in the case of a possible sexual predator, we need to rely on our most primitive instincts. It is crucial to be as inconvenient a target as possible, and to do things that are not normally considered appropriate in society.” For more information about self-defense goto http://www.familysafetyinstitutecom.