Fifty Plus
McCormick has worked with various senior's groups developing programs to lessen the anxiety of being a potential victim with no recourse to assault. The following is an excerpt from an article he did for Maturity.
Are you a "Vic" in your home or on the street? You become a "Vic"tim when you walk with your head down, shoulders slouched, ignore your surroundings and generally appear as though you are in another world. Does this mean you are at the mercy of street criminals? Not at all. It means you must become skillful in personal safety techniques.
Although the Canadian Center for Justice Statistics indicates that violent crime in Canada has dropped by three percent in 1994, and similar reductions are noted around North American, such a small decrease does little to relieve the anxiety created by the incidents noted in the media. What can you do about fear and anxiety? Take positive and direct action to help yourself. Compacency is often the greatest obstacle to personal safety. First and foremost you must form an mind-set that you will do whatever is necessary to prevent personal injury. This begins with the adoption of the coulors of white, yellow, orange and red of the international code of awareness used by various martial arts groups.
Weapons
Do not carry a knife for personal protection. A knife, or a firearm, could be taken and used against you. Instead, learn to use your hands/feet and available tools for your safety. Pat, my 65 year old student, learned to use her cane against an assailant. If attacked, she would jam the handle of the cane forcefully into the attacker's throat, allowing her time to escape.
Tools
A personal alarm is a deterrent, a first line of defense, not safety in itself. At approximately $20.00, it can be worn inside a purse/fannypack with the activating cord hanging within reach. Do not purchase an alarm without hearing it and do not use one as your sole means of personal safety--couple it with skills and techniques.
Dog Repellent (pepper spray) is legal to carry in Canada and the United States (check with local authorities). Although intended for use against dogs, Vancouver Police Constable Anne Drennan advises citizens to disregard the product's canine limitations and encourages its use against an assailant. Canisters that can be held in your hand and stored comfortably in your pocket range in price from 10 to $15.
So, can you be assertive and attack your attacker? A confident attitude, prevention skills and physical techniques are the keys to your personal safety. Carry yourself erect, shoulders back, head up, look at people you pass and trust your instincts.
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