By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Self defense is much more than learning to take down a purse snatcher. Much of self defense is planning ahead to avoid putting out a welcome sign for criminals.
Post pictures from your vacations, but wait till you’re home. Criminals look at shots of you smiling on the beach as an invitation to burglarize your home.
Walk with confidence with your eyes on your surroundings. Texting while you walk, with a purse hanging from your shoulder makes you an easy target for thieves.
And when in danger, yell “fire” rather than “help.” People rush to help fire victims, but are likely to start recording video of other crimes.
About 50 people attended a self defense class last week taught by Bowling Green Police Detective Andy Mulinix and patrol officers Scott Frank and Robin Short. The class, held at Wood County Hospital, was attended primarily by females ranging from young girls to senior citizens.
The class started out with instruction, then moved to physical techniques. The officers stressed that no technique is foolproof.
“Whatever works best for you. Whatever you’re comfortable with, use it,” Frank said. “Better to do something than nothing.”
To set the mood, a video was played showing crimes against innocent victims – an attack in an elevator, the theft of a purse from a woman strolling down the street, theft from a car as someone pumped gas, and a home beating taped by a baby-cam.
“We got a crazy world out there. We’ve got to be a little more vigilant,” Mulinix said.
The officers warned that local residents should not be complacent just because they live in a small city like Bowling Green.
“A lot of people think that Bowling Green is such a safe community,” Mulinix said. “Bad stuff happens in Bowling Green.”
Every crime has three components – a victim, a criminal and an opportunity. So if a person narrows the window of opportunity for the criminal, then they are less likely to become a victim, Frank said.
For example, don’t walk into a dark parking lot alone, looking down, unaware of the surroundings. “You look like a victim waiting to happen,” Frank said.
Don’t leave doors unlocked. Criminals are lazy, Frank said, and will walk from car to car, or house to house, to find an unlocked entry. “They take the path of least resistance.”
Simply wearing your purse strap over your head, can discourage thieves. However, if a criminal really wants your purse, Mulinix suggested not resisting.
“If they want it, give it to them. There’s nothing in there that can’t be replaced,” he said.
But if you fear for your safety and decide to fight, don’t do it half-heartedly.
“If you decide you are going to fight, you have to be 100 percent committed to that fight,” Mulinix said. “You can’t go in half-way, or you are going to lose.”
And don’t fight fair, Frank said. “If you are going to fight, you have to fight dirty.” Nothing is off limits – groins, throats, eyes.
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When walking in public, be aware of your posture, look people in the eyes, stay in well-lit areas, walk in groups if possible, don’t be concerned about your next Facebook post, and have your keys ready to get into your car or home. You may want to have a defensive tool handy, such as keys held between your fingers, or a lanyard full of keys.
When parking your car, pick a spot near a light and close to the entry of your destination, lock your car, and put valuables in the trunk. Don’t just cover up valuables in the back seat, since that is a sign to criminals that something worthwhile is in the car.
As you approach your car to leave, have keys in your hand, survey the area for people or feet under your car, and look in the back seat before you get in.
If your car breaks down, drive it to a lit area if possible, stay in the vehicle, call for assistance, keep doors locked and turn on hazard lights.
When you leave home, make sure your doors and windows are locked, leave a light on (don’t use the same light each time), turn on the porch light, and keep blinds or curtains closed.
While on vacation, have your mail and newspaper picked up, don’t leave garbage cans at the curb, request an extra police patrol on your residence, and don’t post on social media that you are on vacation. “Wait till you get home to post those social media posts,” Mulinix said.
Upon returning home, check your residence for any missing or moved items. Don’t enter your home if it’s been broken into. “Be safe. That’s what we’re here for,” Frank said.
Be aware that thieves break into homes anytime of the day and night.
“Burglaries don’t just happen at night,” Mulinix said. Some criminals target homes during the day when they figure the residents are at work. “It happens a lot in Bowling Green.”
The officers advised people to make sure their garage doors are closed and locked, since some recent cases in BG involved thieves entering through unlocked garage doors.
They also stressed that people don’t have to answer the door for strangers – and they should never invite them into the home. One participant in the class told of a neighbor on South Prospect Street who was giving directions to someone in front of her home, when someone else entered a back door and burglarized her home.
It’s OK to be suspicious of door-to-door salespeople, who must have permits to legally sell. “These magazine guys are nothing but shady,” Frank said. However, Short added that students selling magazines are legitimate. “Bowling Green Middle School students are OK,” she said.
If you are the victim of an attack, the officers suggested techniques to de-escalate the situation. First, use calming words and tone to defuse the situation and “buy you some time,” Frank said. Try to build rapport by listening to the criminal and telling him something that humanizes you to them. “Verbal judo” works as a “soft self defense,” Frank said.
Sometimes the best defense is to bewilder the criminal by doing something unexpected like throwing a temper tantrum. Or use items in your purse as weapons, such as keys, hairspray, nail files or a pen.
“Do whatever you have to do to survive,” Frank said. The most important survival tool is your mindset. “You have to have survival mentality.”
Class participants paired up and practiced self defense techniques, with the officers warning that no technique works 100 percent of the time.
“We’re not here to teach you to beat someone up,” Mulinix said. “We’re here to teach you how to defend yourself and run away. Run like hell.”
Dealing with an armed attacker may change the rules. “Taking someone on with a weapon is a very dangerous thing,” Mulinix said. “If they’ve got a weapon, the best course of action may be just to comply.”
Gracie Salas, of Bowling Green, brought her 11-year-old daughter, Jaylyn, to the self defense class. “It’s mostly for her,” the mom said of her motivation to come. As people practiced their techniques, Jaylyn said the class had taught her to “try to defend yourself.”
Ann Lundquest, Wayne, just wanted to learn how to better protect herself, such as when walking in a dark parking lot by herself. “I’m kind of naïve,” she said. “But as I get older, I notice things a little more.”
