Avoid Rather Than Fight

For years, I’ve used the term “self-offense” to promulgate the notion that self-defense is a misnomer, that defending — by its very nature — is at best delaying an inevitable loss. To convince a predator to stop, you have to attack him and make him understand that he’s at equal risk of sustaining serious injury.

- Kelly McCann

This is as true in combat sports as it is in flighting. When attacking opponents meet nothing but blocks and evasive movement, they won’t be compelled to stop attacking. Why should they be? They’re at no risk of being knocked out or hurt, so instead of stopping their attack and stepping back, they press forward, sensing that the end is near. And they’re usually not wrong.

If you think about it, self-defense is actually a better term for all the things you do or should do before the manifestation of violence. It’s doing all the things that are necessary to achieve the highest likelihood of avoiding the flight.

SELF-DEFENSE IS carrying a legal weapon at all times. It should be a weapon that, when circumstances make you think of it or touch it, acts as a trigger to remind you to leave the area, to remove yourself from the situation. Do that and you might get away without having to use the weapon.