PAD Personal Awareness and Defence.
Both at home, and, when out, we should “all” be aware of what is going on around us, or at the very least be “somewhat” alert to our surroundings. Too many individuals walk about with their heads down looking at a screen, or aimlessly chatting or texting and having no comprehension that their behaviour is making them vulnerable to attack, robbery, assault or even accidentally stepping off the kerb, stumbling, or tripping, that could cause injury or even death if hit by a motor vehicle.
As highlighted in the video below…
In the short compilation below you have trips, falls, a bear, and even falling down a trap door, funny as these clips are, this demonstrates that you need to be aware of what is going off around you.
Your awareness is crucial to your protection
Defence is protection, and awareness is knowing what is going off around you. This is not hard to learn, and you don’t have to be ex-military or an expert martial artist. Simply looking at what is going off around you and make a basic mental note. This doesn’t mean that you must write a manuscript, you simply watch and observe.
Personal awareness aims to reduce you from becoming a victim of crime, or, at least from an “opportunistic” perspective, there is no guarantee that you won’t become an accidental victim, what do I mean…
Someone hitting your vehicle and fleeing the scene (theoretically hit and run) which is a criminal act.
Body Language and Behaviour
The biggest indicators to making you a target, is body language, not alert, poor posture, head down (texting, reading a book / distracted) , hoods up, head phones (ears covered) , in short some form of distraction.
Anyone of these can make you slower to react, than an individual that is alert, looking up and around, aware of their surroundings. Remember criminals for the most part are opportunists, don’t make them see you as an opportunity to strike.
Personal Experience
Example: As a teenager I did Martial Arts, twice a week, entered competitions and tournaments, also practiced daily at home, and thought ” I can look after myself”.
One winter night walking home from training whilst listening to my Walkman (showing my age here), headphones on, my hood up, my hands in my pockets, a car pulled up just in front of me, a male individual jumped out of the passenger door, ran over, hit me, knocked me to the ground, took my Walkman, jumped back in the car and they drove off.
The whole incident took probably (10-15 seconds) may be a bit longer. Why am I telling you this, because, had I “not got” my Walkman on, listening to my music and being distracted, thinking about an upcoming competition, and my last grading I had just taken, I may have been able to prevent this incident in the first place, had I been, more aware, not had my hands in my pockets, my hood up, not listening to my music I may not have been looked at as an easy target, I was not the only person on the road, but, ” I WAS” the only person that was distracted and assaulted.