Awareness: A Key to Women’s Self-Defense
While everyone deserves to move through the world without fear, it's an unfortunate reality that evil people exist who prey on innocent people for selfish gain. Whether it's walking alone at night, using public transportation, or navigating unfamiliar environments, the importance of personal safety cannot be overstated.
Women in particular face unique safety challenges, as they are disproportionately affected by various forms of gender-based violence such as sexual harassment, unwanted advances, and stalking. Some women are so disturbed by the prospect of this happening that they avoid certain areas.
Thankfully, there are precautions we can take to feel safer. For example, understanding the dynamics that contribute to risky situations and knowing how to mitigate them is an invaluable tool for women’s self-defense. Sometimes we can reduce the chances of crime occurring simply by changing our routine or by adding additional security measures.
Central to this approach is the concept of situational awareness, which involves maintaining a state of vigilance in our surroundings, swiftly identifying potential threats, and having a clear understanding of how to respond to potential threats. This serves as the cornerstone of women's self-defense, greatly reinforcing personal safety in various everyday scenarios, be it navigating dimly lit streets or going about our routine activities.
In this post, I’ll explain why situational awareness is a critical part of women’s self-defense, followed by some practical tips on how to feel safer in your everyday life.
The Power of Awareness in Women’s Self-Defense
As a woman who often commutes to work on foot and extensively uses public transit, I can personally attest to encountering individuals who have made me, and many women like me, feel uneasy or unsafe. Many women I've spoken to about this topic have shared similar concerns, underscoring the prevalence of such experiences.
I vividly remember one unsettling encounter that occurred when I was going to the metro station one night after work. The business district was quiet by that time with not many pedestrians around. However, there was a nearby cyclist who caught my attention due to his unusually slow pace, which was even slower than my walking speed. I decided to slow down even more, to which he did the same. My intuition signaled that something was off, and I confirmed my suspicions when I turned to see him uncomfortably staring. With no desire to find out his intentions, I sought refuge in an adjacent restaurant for about an hour or so. By the time I left, thankfully he had decided to move on.
In such situations, being equipped with the right knowledge is instrumental in being able to recognize red flags in the environment and know how to react before the situation gets worse. In my personal experiences as a criminal justice researcher studying crime patterns and taking situational awareness and women’s self-defense classes, I feel better equipped to recognize potential threats in the early stages and take proactive steps to buy time or exit the area. While this approach isn’t foolproof, there is a reason why people say “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
The Relevance of Crime Patterns in Women’s Self-Defense Strategy
Recognizing these patterns and their relevance to everyday life provides a solid foundation for enhancing our situational awareness. Concepts like the Crime Triangle andRoutine Activities Theory help explain how criminal opportunities arise and how they are often influenced by environmental and situational factors.
For a crime to occur, three elements must converge in time and space:
A Motivated Offender: This is someone who has the intent or desire to commit a crime. It could be a burglar, a robber, a vandal, or any individual with criminal intentions. Motivated offenders typically seek opportunities with maximum potential payoffs but minimal potential risks. Thus, they are usually selective when choosing the location, time, and target of their offense.
A Suitable Target: In this context, “suitable” refers to characteristics of a potential target that make it more appealing to an offender. A suitable target is a person or property that is accessible to the offender and appears vulnerable or easy to victimize. Factors such as isolation, darkness, and the absence of witnesses or assistance can contribute to someone or something being seen as a suitable target. For example, an unattended vehicle may be seen as a suitable target for theft, while someone walking alone at night might be seen as a suitable target for robbery.
Lack of Capable Guardian: Capable guardianship involves having people or security measures in place to protect a potential target or to intervene if a crime is attempted. For example, in a public space, law enforcement presence is a type of capable guardian. In a residential setting, a home security system or watchful neighbors can act as capable guardians. Personal self-defense tools such as pepper spray can also be considered a form of capable guardianship. When you are in a situation that lacks capable guardianship, you are more likely to be a victim.
When these three elements converge, it creates a situation that is conducive to criminal behavior. But if you can eliminate one of these elements, it dramatically reduces the opportunity. There are a few ways to do this, but it generally involves either increasing the effort required, raising the risks involved, or decreasing the potential rewards. In other words, you can make it harder to become a target for a motivated offender.
Target Suitability and Women’s Self-Defense
A key aspect in women’s self-defense is learning how to reduce appeal to a potential offender. The suitability of a target can vary depending on the circumstances as well as the offender’s perception of the circumstances. Generally, offenders look for someone who has something valuable that they want and who is conveniently reachable. They also tend to target individuals who appear vulnerable and easy to overpower.
They want to commit the perfect crime, and they assess whether they want to increase their risk of getting hurt or caught by choosing you. If you act in a way that changes the perception that you are an easy victim, an offender might see you as a less worthy target and decide to focus their attention elsewhere.
Here are some examples of ways that you can reduce your appeal to a potential offender:
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This applies to valuables stored at home as well as those that you carry on your person. Avoid displaying expensive items such as jewelry or electronics in public. When getting cash from an ATM, put your money away before exiting the ATM kiosk so that your money isn’t openly visible. Also, make sure to use ATMs that are in locked booths or kiosks.
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If you often take the same route, consider changing it up from time to time. Offenders often seek out easy and predictable targets, and by breaking the routine, you make yourself less appealing as a potential victim. This decreases your likelihood of being targeted by an opportunistic offender who may have observed your habits. Similarly, be cautious about sharing information regarding your schedule on social media, as well as excessive geo-tagging, as these are common ways that an offender can become aware of your routine.
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Certain nonverbal cues and behaviors can decrease the chances that an offender will view you as an easy target. For example, offenders often look at one’s gait to assess vulnerability. Walk with purpose and use strides that convey assertiveness, and match the pace of other pedestrians in the area. Hold your head high and maintain a confident posture. Avoid shuffling your feet as this can make you appear injured or impaired, and easier to overpower.
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Consumption of alcohol or other substances can impair your judgment, reduce your awareness, and hamper your ability to perceive risk. It also makes you appear more vulnerable to a potential offender, as you would likely be easier to overpower. If you do end up in this situation though, get a ride home with a trusted individual rather than walking or taking public transit.
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Pay attention to your surroundings. Avoid staring at your phone. If using headphones, use only one ear so that you can still hear things that are going on around you. You can also casually look around so that you are aware of the people in your environment. This gives your intuition a chance to sink in and reduces the opportunity for a surprise attack. You can also give people split-second glances: this sends a message of “I see you. If you are up to no good, I am not an easy target.” After losing the element of surprise, an offender will often go elsewhere.
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Most importantly, trust your instincts—if something feels off or unsafe, leave the area or seek help. Learn routes where you could possibly run to if needed. Be aware of which businesses are open 24/7, or which buildings have 24/7 security.
The Role of Capable Guardians in Women’s Self-Defense
Bolstering the presence of effective safeguards or capable guardians is also helping for women’s self-defense as it increases the risks for a potential offender. If you can increase their chances of getting caught, or scare them into thinking that you pose a threat in some way, they may decide to go elsewhere.
To enhance capable guardianship when in public spaces, here are some steps that you can take:
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Stick to routes that are well-lit and well-populated when walking and jogging, even if they are slightly longer. When taking public transportation, wait at well-lit stops. Similarly, if you are driving and need to pull over for some reason, look for a well-lit parking lot.
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Travel in groups whenever possible, especially in the late night or early morning. If you take public transportation, try to sit near the driver. When traveling in a group, check in with your friends after parting ways to ensure that everyone got home safely. If you do travel alone, always let someone know your whereabouts and expected return time.
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If you are meeting up with someone who you are still getting to know, meet them in a public place the first few times. This also applies when meeting up with people from dating apps or from buying-and-selling apps. For the latter, if you are selling an expensive item, remember that it increases your vulnerability as a potential target. Consider meeting in a public place that is near a police station. Some police departments have designated “safe trade spots” for buying-and-selling apps that are free to use. To find one local to you, check out this directory.
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Familiarize yourself with emergency apps and phone features that would allow you to quickly call for help if needed. Additionally, there are a range of different apps and wearable smart devices that offer geotagged alerts to registered contacts, some even equipped with sirens and flashing lights. You can also use non-emergency apps to enable continuous real-time GPS sharing with trusted contacts without the need for individual notifications.
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Consider taking women’s self-defense classes to build confidence and learn techniques to protect yourself in case of an emergency. You can also carry a personal safety device like pepper spray, a personal alarm, a whistle, or even an air horn. Remember, if you are selected as a target but you can put up a fight and draw attention, an offender may decide that you are not worth the risk and go elsewhere.
Why Situational Awareness Matters for Women’s Self-Defense
After many years of martial arts training, one of the phrases that sticks with me the most is: “the only fight that you win is the one that you don’t get in.” In terms of women’s self-defense, one of the best ways to avoid violence is through prevention. This is done by being cognizant of your surroundings, being able to identify when something doesn’t look right, and knowing when to take preventive actions.
Situational awareness helps you notice things that seem out of the ordinary or suspicious, allowing you to identify potential threats and take preemptive steps to avoid or mitigate potential danger. In our fast-paced world, where distractions abound and our attention is constantly divided, personal safety can sometimes take a backseat. But the truth is, being vigilant and aware of our surroundings is paramount for our safety.
Situational awareness extends beyond women’s self-defense and applies to everyday situations, including workplace conflict, safe driving, and online safety, among others. To learn more about the benefits of situational awareness, check out our companion post: “The Four Benefits of Situational Awareness.”
Empower Yourself Today with Situational Awareness Training
You can't always deter a potential offender, but that doesn’t mean that you are powerless. Regardless of the situation you are in, being aware of your surroundings can make all the difference in being able to anticipate potential threats in your environment, which is a crucial skill in women’s self-defense strategies. Early recognition of potential threats is critical in being able to avoid or mitigate them.
Situational awareness is a crucial skill, but it's not just an innate ability. At Second Sight, we understand the importance of staying safe and prepared, which is why we offer the Situational Awareness for Safety course tailored to help individuals, like you, enhance their awareness and make informed choices to protect themselves.
I recently took Second Sight’s one-hour online course, Situational Awareness for Safety, which helped me hone and practice my observational and situational awareness skills. Through this course, I learned how to systematically assess any environment, recognize potential risks, and how to respond accordingly. These skills help me feel safer and more capable of navigating various situations, and I feel empowered that I would actually know how to react if faced with a threat. I wholeheartedly recommend this course to fellow women living in cities, frequent solo travelers, and anyone seeking to enhance their personal safety.
Visit our personal safety page on our website to learn more.
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