Rape Escape Options
Recap

Rape Escape: a woman who fights back is less likely to be raped. See Fighting Options, Rape Prevention and Ultimate Rape Prevention.

Don't turn your back on anyone you don’t trust – that invites an attack you won’t see coming. If he begins to approach you, take an aggressive stance, put one hand in a pocket as though you have a weapon ready, raise your other hand in a “STOP!” gesture, and fiercely command him to "Stay away from me!"

Better yet, also hold pepper spray and a noisemaker visible and at the ready. See Pepper Spray & Devices.

If he keeps moving toward you – that's your early-warning-sign that he's probably a predator – either flee or activate your noisemaker and use your pepper spray.

What are a victim's rape escape options when suddenly threatened by a predator? "Fight or flight” are the two most well known. Martial arts' theory usually adds surrender to the mix. I’ve added two more: outsmart and posture, and aligned them all with FBI victim guidelines (and also clarified their clunky terminology):

1. Posturing: presenting yourself as a tough target (predators prefer easy prey). If that doesn’t work:
2. Fleeing the most obvious choice, might not be possible. If not:
3. Outsmarting: by verbally defusing a confrontation and maneuvering toward escape. If that doesn’t work:
4. Surrendering: as a prelude to an escape, perhaps aided by:
5. Fighting like a mad dog to enable your escape. Stun & run. See Fighting Options

It’s impossible to fully anticipate the panicky chaos of a sudden threat forcing you to make split-second life-and-death decisions. Nonetheless, understanding your options now will help your Intuition choose an option then.

Enhancing Your Options
Pepper Spray & a Noisemaker visibly ready will greatly enhance your first option – Posturing as a tough target – and probably deter a predator immediately. Your fifth option – Fighting – is enhanced as well.

If you do choose to fight, attack him as described in Optimal Mindset and Fighting Options.

Enhancing Your Options
Pepper Spray & a Noisemaker visibly ready will greatly enhance your first option – Posturing as a tough target – and probably deter a predator immediately. Your fifth option – Fighting – is enhanced as well.

For convenience, learn self-defense online:

KRAV MAGA, a practical self-defense system used by many police forces worldwide, teaches you to defend yourself, enhances your survival instinct, and can be applied under extreme stress. It's not flashy, just very effective. I highly recommend it. The Krav Maga TV - Online Training videos are especially convenient to learn at home when your schedule allows or if you don't live near a training center.

S.A.F.E. is being:
Skeptical of anyone trying to get near you or trying to isolate you,
Aware of danger zones and escape strategies,
Flexible: being tricky, changing strategies as needed – and if worse comes to worst:
Exploding like a mad dog to fight for your life. Stun & Run. See Fighting Options.

HOT LINES and RESOURCES
• Abuse and Assault Hot Line at 800-962-2873.
• RAINN (Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network) at www.rainn.org or a 24-hour hotline at 800-656-HOPE (4673).

RECOMMENDED READING
• The Anatomy of Motive: The FBI's Legendary Mindhunter by John E. Douglas and Mark Olshaker. Scribner 1999.
• Beauty Bites Beast: Awakening the Warrior Within Women and Girls by Ellen Snortland. Trilogy Books 1998.
• The Date Rape Prevention Book: the Essential Guide by Scott Lindquist. Sourcebooks 2000.
• The Feminine Warrior: A Woman's Guide to Empowerment by Al Marrewa. Kensington 1998.
• The Gift Of Fear: Survival Signals that Protect Us from Violence by Gavin de Becker. Little, Brown & Co. 1997.
• On Killing by Lt. Col. Dave Grossman. Back Bay Books 1995.
• Overkill: Mass Murder and Serial Killing Exposed by James Alan Fox and Jack Levin. Dell 1996.
• Real Knockouts: the Physical Feminism of Women's Self-Defense by Martha McCaughy. NYU Press 1997.
• Sex Crimes: Ten years on the Front Lines Prosecuting Rapists by Alice Vachss. Henry Holt (Owl) 1993.

Rape Escape Options:
• Rape Escape Options - Overview of options you never knew you had.
• Rapist Types: empowering insights into the minds of rapists.
• Rape Prevention: confronting a predator effectively.
• Ultimate Rape Prevention: options for disabling a rapist’s tool of crime for true poetic justice.
• Rape Survivors: counseling needs for rape survivors and her loved ones.
• Choosing a Self-Defense Class to prevent rape and help a rape survivor regain control of her life.
• Recap (YOU’RE NOW ON THIS PAGE) of Rape Escape Options.
• Fighting Options
• Pepper Spray & Devices

Also see Women’s Safety and Date Rape.

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