Are You Worried About Being Attacked?
by By Jeremy Haas
Thankfully not everyone is going to be the victim of an assault. That fact leaves us with many unanswered questions though. How do criminals decide who they are going to attack, and what steps can you take to avoid being their next target? Unfortunately there is no magic pill you can swallow to keep yourself protected. Studies have shed some light on how our posture can help keep attackers at bay. Projecting a confident, watchful image to others can be one of the best ways to keep you safe.
Research has shown that attackers try to find people who look towards the ground. People who appear distracted, seem brooding, or search though their belongings all have a higher chance of being attacked. Eye and head movement are other things that attackers look for. Those with abnormal eye movement and constant side to side head movement are also at higher risk of assault.
The best way to carry yourself is with your chin high. Standing up straight is a sign of a confident person. Those who slouch often appear lazy and with low self esteem. Poor posture, whether correct or not, is associated with lower class individuals. While a chest out, chin high posture is the way a higher class person would carry themselves. Emulating those with good posture has more benefits than just in self defense. There have been several research studies that provide interesting conclusions regarding the different forms of posture.
In one study, people at a singles bar rated others based on their posture. Included among those rated, were an actor and actress who assumed particular forms of posture. A woman who judged the actor had very different feelings based on whether he stood straight or slumped over. The actor weighed in at 143 pounds and stood five feet ten inches tall. The woman guessed he was five foot nine inches and weighed 136 pounds when hunched over. As soon as he straightened up he was estimated to 160 pounds and five foot eleven inches. When the researcher asked the woman to rate him one out of ten, with ten being the best, she gave the hunched version a 4 and the straight version an 8. The actress involved in the study received a score of 9 out of 10 when standing up straight.
This research is supported in 2 other studies. One study from the University of Helsinki concluded that women who are taller seem to be more authoritative. The other study showed that women who are taller have a better chance at avoiding a sexual assault. Keeping good posture doesn't actually make you taller, but it can give you the appearance of extra height. Good posture also causes people of all backgrounds to find one more capable, intelligent and attractive. All of these characteristics will help you ward off attackers.
Another way you can add to correct posture is through projecting power. This technique is used with great success by cops, who are able to get control over criminals thanks to their perceived authority. To adopt this stance:
Keep your head up and straight.
Jaw tight.
With squared shoulders.
Keep your mouth closed and do not smile.
Keep your eyes steady.
Your feet firmly on the ground.
The final place you need to convey your power is through your voice. As a general rule, the lower your voice is the better. Dropping your voice a half an octave or move can significantly improve the authority and power one projects. This can be critical during a time of self defense. You will sound helpless and afraid with a high pitched, fast voice. On the other hand you can take complete control with a deep voice. Lastly, if you ever have to let a potential attacker know not to mess with you, tell them to back off in the same tone a general uses to give an order.
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