Appropriate Response

The topic of the week is appropriate response to the level of threat you are facing. In the article by Tim Larkin I shared the other day there was a great discussion on 2 different levels of aggression. The one that we are more familiar with "Social Aggression" and the one we hope we never have to deal with "Asocial Violence".

The article is a great introduction to this topic but it simplifies the situations a bit too much. There is a large spectrum of situations that could fill in the middle of those two examples. How we deal with them is something that has to be processed both mentally and physically before we are ever faced with making decisions that may save our lives.

Learning to use your environment to your advantage. Understanding use of force laws in your state. Knowing what is considered legally justified force that would be considered reasonable based on the totality of the circumstances. Knowing when you are justified in injuring the aggressor as opposed to just hurting him to get them to stop what they are doing. When communications and deescalation are not going to work.

This is a complex topic that needs to be studied in depth. There is no one answer for a given situation. To simplify it down too much does not serve a person if they make a wrong choice and end up in prison for that choice.

Do you know what the RCW's say about self defense in Washington State? Do we have a duty to retreat? What about a castle doctrine?
If these last couple of questions stumped you then you are not prepared to defend yourself, no matter how many physical skills you may have.

Future articles and discussions will go more in depth on these important topics.  

Until then, be safe out there.  

Pepper Spray

Pepper Spray. An excellent defensive tool. Why? Because it has an effective distance of 4 to 12 feet. There is no need to wait for an attacker to get in arms reach.

The affects take place in a couple of seconds.

The active ingredients attack breathing and vision, 2 primary targets for self defense. Size, strength, gender, speed, training are completely irrelevant.

It is inexpensive and you can learn how to use it in a couple of hours. It takes very little physical skill and you don't have to have good fitness, so anyone can use it.

It has a strong effect but does no lasting damage so you do not have to injure the attacker to stop them.

You can carry it places you can't carry a gun. You can even take in your checked luggage on a plane.

It is considered a low level of force so you can use it without too many legal consequences.

Anyone over the age of 14 can legally possess it.

I am sure I am forgetting some important points but you can see how it would make a great addition to your personal protection arsenal.

Pepper Spray class coming up in September, stay tuned for more.