Self-defense

So what is self-defense?

The working definition we use is: Using whatever means necessary to quickly end a situation that offers you grievous bodily injury.

Talking your way out of danger is self-defense. Running like hell is self-defense. Breaking someone's jaw so you can run fiercely from the six guys who are attacking you is self-defence. Pulling out a gun and blowing the head off the guy attacking you with a knife is self-defense. Not putting yourself in the situation in the first place however, is the best form of self-defense there is.

In short, self-defence is only oriented towards one thing: ending an immediate physical threat. How you go about it is a multi-layered strategy that far supercedes simple physical application.

Self-defense is *never* oriented towards ending a perceived emotional threat, such as hurt pride, wounded feelings or to prove yourself right. It is not a form of punishment or to prove your superiority over another human being.

Use Your Head

People (guys as well as girls) who are threatened and fight back "in self-defense" actually risk making a situation worse. The attacker, who is already edgy and pumped up on adrenaline — and who knows what else — may become even more angry and violent. The best way to handle any attack or threat of attack is to try to get away. This way, you're least likely to be injured.

One way to avoid a potential attack before it happens is to trust your instincts. Your intuition, combined with your common sense, can help get you out of trouble. For example, if you're running alone on the school track and you suddenly feel like you're being watched, that could be your intuition telling you something. Your common sense would then tell you that it's a good idea to get back to where there are more people around.