How to Get Away from an Attacker

Copyrighted by Jennifer McLeod writing as jenjen0703, all rights reserved. Some photos are under CC under Share and share alike. October 24, 2011

Society has changed tremendously since I was a small child. Every time I check the local news, there is another murder, another missing person, or another sexual crime. The sad fact is the majority of these crimes are committed by people the victims knew. Currently, I am following several local sexual crime stories. The following list includes the role of authority these people play in children's lives: a foster care worker who ran a boys' home, a pastor from a church, an athletic coach, a teacher whose wife is a city commissioner, and a few years back, a youth pastor in the town I live in was charged with sex crimes.

Yes, we need to be cautious and pay attention to our surroundings, especially if we are alone. Attacks can happen at the hands of a stranger, whether it be in the form of sexual assault, a mugging, or a robbery.

What is more disturbing is the number of attacks that happen at the hands of people we know. Domestic violence is not a stranger to many households. Children are being molested by family members, church friends, and even their athletic coach. It is imperative for people to understand why these are the worst attacks because there is a major violation of trust. The basic fundamentals of childhood should include being able to trust the adults in authority in their lives. Unfortunately, this is not the type of world we live in.

And, no matter who the attacker is, they have no right to victimize anyone. The victim has every right to defend themselves, in whatever manner they have to.

There is no guarantee that the following methods will always work. The point of these tactics is to cause your attacker to pause and think for a few seconds. Sometimes, a few seconds is all a victim needs to escape. If the following tactics do not help a victim evade their attacker, then my suggestion is to fight back as hard as you can in hopes to get away. Some people may not suggest doing that as it puts the victim's life in danger. But, I will not going down quietly. If an attacker assaults me, I am going to fight back with my life.

1) Offer an unusual scenario for the attacker. "I have AIDS!" That comment might cause an attacker to back off quickly. The victim can use anything in place of that, herpes, hepatitis, or any other disorder that is sexually transmitted and has no cure. Or, the victim can act crazy, as if they suffer from some severe mental disorder. Many scenarios could work, but the point of them is to cause the perpetrator to pause, hopefully giving the victim time to escape. This is a tactic for the victim to try before physically defending themselves.

2) S.I.N.G. The above video is an excellent self-defense video, but I suggest practicing this before using it. It could be difficult to remember these four steps if they have never been practiced. This method is extremely useful when the attacker grabs the victim from behind.

3) Physical defense. When an attacker has a physical hold on the victim and they are unable to escape, they can consider other methods of physical assault against their attacker that will immobilize him. Gouging out the attacker's eyes, punching or grabbing his throat aggressively, kneeing, kicking, or punching him in the testicles, or hitting him in both ears at the same time. Any of these examples might drop the attacker to his knees, giving the victim time to run.

4) Scream "FIRE" loudly. Sometimes, bystanders are afraid to get involved in a physical attack because they fear they could get hurt. However, when people hear, "FIRE!" they are more willing to come running to help. This was an interesting method I learned in a victims' advocate training I enrolled in a few years ago.

5) Buddy system. If at all possible, a victim should try to have another person with him or her if it is possible. For example, if I want to go to the bar on the weekend, it is an excellent idea to take a friend. The buddy system is an asset when a potential victim is in a position of greater risk of assault.

If you find yourself in a situation where you have been assaulted or raped, report it as soon as possible to the police. If a rape has occurred, save your clothing for forensics, and do not shower or douche. The police will need the clothing for DNA evidence, along with the evidence produced from a rape kit. Do NOT avoid reporting the crime to authorities. If you do not report it, then you are enabling your attacker to continue attacking other innocent people.

For more information, check out my other articles:

Sexual Abuse: Get the Facts

Also, a story about a child who endured child sexual abuse:

Victim of a Senseless Crime: Part 1

Victim of a Senseless Crime: Part 2

Victim of a Senseless Crime: Part 3

Victim of a Senseless Crime: Part 4

Victim of a Senseless Crime: Part 5

Victim of a Senseless Crime: Part 6