Victim's Options
Overview

What are a victim's 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 and hoping for the best; or preferably as a prelude to an escape, perhaps aided by:
5. Fighting like a mad dog to enable your escape. Stun & run.

It’s impossible to fully anticipate the panicky chaos of a sudden threat forcing you to choose among a victim's options in a split-second. 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.

Face-to-Face Factors
• Your wariness: using a cell phone or headphones, or daydreaming, is like a lame antelope attracting a lion.
• The type of assailant: is he a scared yet volatile kid, a depraved lunatic, or somewhere in between?
• The presence of a weapon or an accomplice: neither may be visible at first.
• The location: populated areas might inhibit him. And, is it your turf or his? Familiarity makes a difference.
• Your personality: can a passive person be aggressive? Can an aggressive person surrender (or fake it)?
• Your abilities to strategize and fight.
• Your willingness to truly fight for your life – and to never give up.

Victims are often hurt by the "startle factor." "They're minding their own business and suddenly chaos erupts," police said. "They freeze." Those who reacted well remained "calm, collected and logical." ... Police recommend that people pay close attention to crime stories they read or see on the news. "Then they can think themselves through various scenarios in their own mind. If something similar happened, what would you do? What have other people done to get out?" That way, if a similar situation does come up, you'll have ideas and can weigh your options on the spot, but always understand that each case is different. Some people are feistier than others, and may have gotten away with something that could have gone either way. ... It's much more dangerous to be abducted," a police spokesman said. "If you're in a parking lot - that's still a place of public awareness and there are still people around if you run. But once you're taken away from that, all bets are off. I'd resist an abduction attempt with all my power. Whether to fight back or comply depends on the situation and is up to the victim. "It's almost wrong for police to say resist or comply either way, because every situation is different," he said. "Each person must decide on their own."
Excerpted from The Capital (Annapolis MD) – 17 January 2007

A victim should expect intimidating threats and expect to be hurt, but should especially expect to survive (see Hope is Key in Willpower). Opportunities may arise as the scene unfolds. A victim must trust her Intuition to choose among the five options:
• Victim’s Options - Overview (YOU’RE NOW ON THIS PAGE).
• 1st Option - Posturing: presenting yourself as a tough target (predators prefer easy prey). If that doesn’t work:
• 2nd Option - Fleeing, the most obvious choice, might not be possible. If not:
• 3rd Option - Outsmarting: by verbally defusing a confrontation and maneuvering toward escape. If that doesn’t work:
• 4th Option - Surrendering: as a prelude to an escape, perhaps aided by:
• 5th Option - Fighting like a mad dog to enable your escape. Stun & run.
• Recap of this section.
• Pepper Spray & Devices.

Go to
1st Option - Posturing | 2nd Option - Fleeing | 3rd Option - Outsmarting | 4th Option - Surrendering | 5th Option - Fighting | Victim's Options - Recap
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