Home
RSS/Blog It
Site Directory
Index/Sitemap

FAQs
Stranger Danger
Kid-Safe Internet
Cyber Bullying
Stop Bullying
School Violence
Teen Abuse
Cyber Stalking
College Security
Running Safety
Street Crime
Purse Snatching
Parking Lot Safety
Driving Safety Tips
Apartment Security
Home Defense
Camping Safety

MYTH BUSTERS
Myth Busters
Urban Myths
Free-Range Kids
Myths and Legends

TRUE CRIMES
True Crimes
True Crime Stories
True Crime Library
Crimes of Passion

AVOIDING DANGER
Home Security
Outdoor Safety
Car Security
Travel Security
Child Safety Tips
Women's Safety
Workplace Safety

FACING DANGER
Intuition
Criminal Minds
Victim's Options
Survival Options
Stress Control

ESCAPING DANGER
Fighting Options
Verbal Defense
Self Defense
Rape Escape

SECURITY PRODUCTS
Security Products
House Alarm
DIY House Alarm
Simple Electronics
Door Security
Peepholes
Home Intercom
Lock Bumping
Sliding Doors
Outdoor Lighting
Best Pepper Spray
Personal Alarm
GPS Child Locator
Senior Safety

RESOURCES
Crime Survivors
Newsletters
Identity Theft
Article Bank
About
Contact Us
Share This Site

fine print
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service

Enter your E-mail Address

Enter your First Name (optional)

Then

Don't worry -- your e-mail address is totally secure.
I promise to use it only to send you The Crime-Safety-Security Newsletter.

[?] Subscribe To This Site

XML RSS
Add to Google
Add to My Yahoo!
Add to My MSN
Subscribe with Bloglines

Survival Options:
Recap

SurOpt-Recap-Wordle-thanks-to-http://www.wordle.net

Your survival options in an attempted kidnapping are two basic choices – with no guarantee either way: Risk escalating the violence right away by fighting or fleeing and get better odds, versus cooperating with a (deceitful) kidnapper and worse odds. Trust your Intuition to guide you.

Although life-and-death crises allow no guarantees, possibly the best response to a hostage crime – following your intuition – is to refuse to be bound, and instead surprise him with a sudden, furious attack. The sooner you act the better. If one of you does act, the others had better immediately join in, or create chaos – such as fleeing while yelling, “I’m getting our neighbor the cop." Destroy his control and spur him to flee!

The panic-button/siren – described in Security Products - Alarms – and/or a Safe Room would be absolutely ideal in a survival situation in your home. Any victim pressing a nearby panic-button and setting off a loud alarm – and/or escaping to a Safe Room to call police on a cell-phone – would destroy the criminal’s advantage of secrecy from neighbor's eyes and ears.

A weapon was present in 26 percent of violent crimes: 55 percent of all robberies, and 7 percent of all rapes/sexual assaults – according to the U.S. Department of Justice report, “Trends in Violent Victimizations 1973-2001.”

If the assailant is armed and you’re in an isolated area, you may try to Flee, Outsmart him, Surrender, or use Fighting Strategies.

Whether a worst-case scenario is a shooting rampage, hostage-taking, abduction, multiple attackers, or facing a weapon, the key to your survival is to snap out of fear paralysis and act as soon as possible, biding your time only if you absolutely must. A worst-case scenario isn’t hopeless unless you give up hope. Many victims escape as long as they never give up. See Courage.

Deter a predator by carrying a Personal Security Alarm (a.k.a. screamer or noisemaker) & Pepper Spray in plain sight.

Recommended reading (sources that influenced these pages):
The Anatomy of Motive: The FBI's Legendary Mindhunter Explores the Key to Understanding and Catching Violent Criminals by John E. Douglas and Mark Olshaker. Scribner 1999.
The Evil That Men Do: FBI Profiler Roy Hazelwood's Journey into the Minds of Sexual Predators by Stephen G. Michaud. St. Martins Press 1999.
The 48 Laws of Power by Joost Elffers and Robert Greene. Viking Press 1998.
How to Protect Yourself from Crime by Ira A. Lipman. Reader’s Digest Association 1997.
On Killing by Lt. Col. Dave Grossman. Back Bay Books 1995.
Malicious Intent by Sean Mactire. Writer’s Digest Books 1995.
Overkill: Mass Murder and Serial Killing Exposed by James Alan Fox and Jack Levin. Dell 1996.
Protecting Your Life, Home, and Property by Captain Robert L. Snow. Plenum Press 1995.
Strong on Defense by Sanford Strong. Pocket Books 1996.
Tough Target by J.J. Bittenbinder. Running Press 1997.
What Cops Know by Connie Fletcher. Simon & Schuster Pocket Books 1990.

Worst-Cases:
Crime Prevention Tips for Victims of Violent Crimes

Survival Options - Overview of the do-or-die realities of worst-case crises.
Shooting Rampage: seven options for surviving.
Hostage Taking: the slightest edge makes all the difference.
Hostage Escape: optimizing hostage survival options and escape.
Kidnapping avoidance and prevention.
Kidnap Escape: optimizing kidnap survival options and escape.
SOS Distress Signals for summoning help in all situations.
Surviving the Worst: options for the worst of the worst-case scenarios.
Recap of this section (YOU’RE NOW ON THIS PAGE).

Go to
Survival Options - Overview
Crime-Safety-Security Home Page


footer for survival page