The Who and Why of Personal Safety Awareness Training

Throughout my 25+ years in law enforcement (LE), I have dealt with thousands of offenders and victims.  We speak to victims, witnesses, and perpetrators to try to understand the total circumstances of an event.  

We try to figure out the who, what, when, where, why, and how of an incident.  In this post, we are going to concentrate on the who and the why. 

By helping you understand WHY someone may become a victim, we may be able to help YOU avoid being the WHO (e.g. the victim).

This personal safety awareness training will provide you with a tool to help you better understand the who and the why.  

Motivation, Opportunity & Personal Safety Awareness Training

While it may seem that crimes against people are random – they are based on opportunity.  There are several components to the motivation behind someone committing a crime.

Opportunity +Ability + Willing to Commit = Benefit

Let’s dig into each.

Opportunity: We are all opportunists. Criminals are too.  Some will also take advantage of other’s weaknesses or mistakes. They look for the opportunity to benefit themselves at others expense. They might take an unattended pocketbook, or victimize those who appear vulnerable or an easy target. . 

Ability & Will: Whether it’s money, drugs, or power over someone else, some people will go to great lengths to obtain what they want. 

Thank god, most of us work hard for what we have and want; but what about those who don’t? Those who find it easier to just take something rather than to work hard for it.   

Benefit: Why do we go to work?   Because many of us love what we do, but more importantly because we receive a benefit; compensation.  We work hard to get paid so that we can survive and thrive. 

Benefits are also sought by those who need or want things, but who may not have the means to get them; they are not just material items, but could be power over others. 

Benefit and need drive most to work harder, but others to work outside the rules. 

You would think it would be impossible to identify those around us who have the ability or the willingness to victimize someone else.

Or would it?     

Personal Safety Awareness Training: Don’t Become the Who

What can you do to NOT become the WHO, the easy victim?

What can you take out of this equation to keep yourself safer?

            Opportunity +Ability + willing to commit = benefit

You may be able to control the “why”.

You can reduce or eliminate opportunity; by either not being seen by a criminal as a victim or taking away opportunities to be victimized.   

As an investigator I have been able to dissect people’s actions before, during, and after an incident.   In doing so we can identify how someone’s actions or behaviors made them an easier target; victim’s often give the offender the opportunity they were looking for. 

So, what is one thing a person could do to make themselves safer; to reduce the opportunity to be victimized?

Situational Awareness.  Situational Awareness is to pay attention to your surroundings and to those around you, paying attention to “what just doesn’t look right”, and taking action to avoid what could potentially be harmful. 

Unless you plan on living in a bubble, you cannot eliminate your chances of being victimized. But you can definitely reduce opportunity by paying attention to the world around you. 

A Personal Safety Awareness Training

Situational Awareness for Safety: is an online course you can take today that will teach you how to be a better observer, and, in turn more situationally aware. 

These techniques are used by police, security and military personnel all over the world to keep you and themselves safer.

Second Sight Training Systems created an online, cost effective, and empowering course that will teach you techniques that could literally save your life.

If you want to learn more about Personal Safety Awareness Training, check out our personal safety page.