Self-Defense Tip: Think Like a Criminal

By Robert Farago

The People of the Gun constantly recommend maintaining “situational awareness.” And rightly so. The sooner you detect a criminal attack, the sooner you can defend against it, and the better your chances of evading, escaping or attacking. But there’s more to situational awareness than simply having it. You have to know when to raise it. To do that, you have to . . .

think like a criminal. Assess your surroundings as if you were the bad guy looking to attack.

The criminals’ main strategy: ambush. If a victim doesn’t see a bad guy or guys coming there’s less chance that the target will be able to mount resistance. Speed, surprise and violence of action. What works for you for self-defense works for them in an attack.

So criminals look for locations where they can surprise their victims. Alleys. Corners. Parking lots. Locations with places to hide: behind dumpsters and cars, around corners, etc. Places where escape is difficult.

By the same token, criminals are naturally averse to times and locations where there are people who might come to the aid of their victims. Hence the theft above: a nighttime attack on a relatively deserted street without pedestrians.

When …Read the Rest

Source:: Truth About Guns