Today’s post will deal with threat identification and assessment, as well as how to avoid a threat should you be chosen as a target.  As I routinely state, awareness and avoidance must be central components in your defensive planning and philosophy.  Therefore it is imperative that you know how to identify potential threats, assess their threat to your person accurately, and communicate non-verbally with them to identify yourself as a less-than-ideal target. 

I’ve been reading an e-book titled, “Facing Violence: Preparing for the Unexpected” by Rory Miller, and much of my material is in reference to lessons taught in this book, reinforced by my own personal experiences.  A full review of Facing Violence will be posted as soon as I get through it.  According to Miller, a predator is defined as someone who has developed the ability or made the choice to ignore your humanity.  He further defines two different types of predators: Resource Predators, and Process Predators.  By far the majority of threats we will encounter are Resource Predators who choose their targets based on them having something the predator wants.  Whether the object of desire be money, jewelry, or other valuables does not matter.  The Resource Predator identifies targets based on opportunity, often acts on a whim, and may or may not become violent toward their target.  They have developed the ability to marginalize the humanity of their targets, often with a “have vs. have-not” mentality.

Process Predators are a completely different class of threat.  They target individuals for the sake of the hunt, often becoming violent murderers, rapists, and sociopaths.  Process predators consider themselves to be the top of the food chain, often completely ignoring the humanity of those around them as they pursue their desires.  They are the true wolves stalking the flock.

Regardless of the level of predator you encounter, understand that the predator has decided that what they want is more valuable than your life.  Any armed encounter with a predator of any type has the potential to turn lethal in the blink of an eye.  You are prey to them, pure and simple.

Miller identifies three skills for avoiding an attack.  They are avoidance, escape and evasion, and de-escalation.  Knowing how predators target their individuals helps you to avoid becoming a target.  The simplest way to avoid them is to avoid where predators gather.  In the wild, predators gather at watering holes and follow herds of prey as they graze.  The same is true with human predators.  Bars are notoriously target-rich environments, as are any cash-heavy place of business.  Shopping malls, department stores, and gun-free zones can be considered high-risk as well.  These are places to be avoided when possible, and when visited done so with the full knowledge that one must be aware and prepared to act at any time.  Don’t be fearful or paranoid, but maintain a relaxed state of awareness.

Predators often locate themselves in congested areas, taking up a position where they can easily come within contact with their targets.  Others prefer seclusion, and will either position themselves in an area where they can act with privacy, or will follow their targets to seclusion.

If you notice you have been targeted by a threat, size them up in a matter-of-fact manner.  Look for their hands, scan them for weapons, assess the surroundings and look to see if they have accomplices nearby, all while keeping them in your peripheral vision.  Make sure your hands are freed up for defensive actions, and change direction if possible.  This is where escape and evasion comes into play.  Having already scanned the area is so important to E&E.  You should keep track of exits, windows, mirrors, security cameras, places where crowds have gathered, cover and concealment, and anything else that may come in handy should you be forced to evade a threat.  If you can’t escape coming into close quarters with them for whatever reason, de-escalation will come into play. 

De-escalation is the riskiest and least-successful method of avoiding an attack.  If you have identified and sized up the predator and they still choose to target you, they are either incredibly stupid, inexperienced, or have decided that they are not threatened by your defensive capability.  By its very nature, de-escalation will often put you within the dreaded 21-foot range of a threat as you try to bluff, threaten, and talk your way out of a potentially lethal situation.  Skills developed practicing the Tueller drill will come into play should the situation turn deadly, which is a topic for another time.  Keep in mind that these methods of identification and avoidance are not limited to public spaces.  Home invasions follow the same rules- make your home a hard target, get out when you can, and fight when you must.

Understanding how to identify a predator based on their behavior and watching for predatory indicators when in public will go a long way toward minimizing your vulnerability from day-to-day.  Use every technique you can to avoid becoming a target, as well as to avoid attack.  If it comes time to act, do so without hesitation or reservation.  Know that predators, regardless of type, have decided that you are essentially worthless compared to what they want from you and decide to act based on that assumption.  Stay safe and make awareness a way of life.

-Mitch