AIBU to start thinking about self defence in the home and when I am out and about?

Pretty sure i would either freeze or get mad and try to defend myself, pointless against a younger and stronger intruder who has the benefit of being prepared. I keep windows and doors locked, try to be street wise but you can only do so much, you have to try not to make anything easy for them.

There are areas in most cities and large towns that have high crime rates but living in a low crime rate area does not make you immune, you get a different “class” of criminal.

Good door and window security and an alarm is your best protection

I looked up crime rates and saw that Bradford, Birmingham and Coventry were down there as risky places with high crime rates. At one stage we lived in Warwickshire and then it was very safe. It was a long,long time ago though. Most cities have certain places where you wouldn’t go alone after dark except places like Singapore where they have crime well and truly sorted.

I didn't know (until today) that the UK was listed on a U.S. government site as one of the countries to use extreme caution when visiting due to personal safety issues. Also, France and Spain were on that list but not Portugal. Russia and Mexico were at the highest level of danger, as was Venezuela. Poland and Uzbekastein and Canada were on the safe list, as was Finland. I would think that if we had such a travel list, the U.S. would be listed with a safety warning.

I would not have a knife for safety but if I worried about safety, I would use a personal alarm (to wake the neighbors), a barking dog (to warn me in advance) and a cell phone (to call someone). I have also been told that it is a good idea to buy an old wallet, stuff it with cash and cancelled credit cards so that if you do find yourself in a bind, you can hand it over while keeping your real wallet.

The people we are planning to protect ourselves from are always boys and men. Why?

About 10 years ago a masked man kicked my door in. He didnt get any further because I never used that entrance and there was furniture behind the door.

I had time to fetch a freezer knife from the kitchen (the jagged pointy kind) and slash several times at his hand which he had got between the door and the frame, trying to prise it ipen. There was a lot of blood and it went everywhere, He yelled and ran off. I didnt call the police because I thought I might get into trouble for hurting him - I probably damaged his hand pretty badly. I would like to hope that he was permanently injured and that might lead him to reconsider his useless life. However when I later looked at the cctv footage it could be seen that his mate was carrying a machete! I just called the emergency locksmith to fixx the door. Later I had it replaced by one of those sturdy composite ones that took two men to carry.

Widgeon - I think it's unusual to have to close windows as you move from room to room.

Most policies want you to close the windows when you leave the house.
It might be worth checking yours.

🤞

‘run’ not ‘rub’!

A few years ago one city (Nottingham?) gave a course for ‘pensioners’ on how to use your walking stick for self defence.
I once went to a talk for women on self defence given by a police sergeant. She emphasised that running was the best way out of danger and said whatever shoes you wear, make sure that you can rub in them. I’m sure she said more but it was running that stuck in my mind.

In the UK guns have to be kept in a locked cabinet. I have to say I don't think about it when hubby is home. However many years ago he was beaten unconscious and when #i came home from the hospital my daughter and I moved furniture in front of both the back and front door overnight. When my daughter started nursing at 18, if she was working afternoons -finishing around 10 pm then she'd phone me and I'd stay on the phone until she was back in the car.

widgeonin Nigeria they poked long poles through the windows and hooked up anything they could. I can’t remember if we had bars at the windows ( I was only 5) but we did in HK.
The burglars used to come in at night and creep about when we were asleep. They cut the bars in the dining room and bent them back. They never did us any harm but we never lived in a first floor flat again!

I always have my doors and windows locked. And my walking stick has a heavy handle that could knock someone out . Plus I am not frightened to defence myself.
I felt helpless at High school being bullied everyday and no one is ever going to make me feel like that again . I am not frightened going out on my own but won't go into the city during the evening or night . I have to be aware of my surroundings at all times as I have a rare hereditary neurological condition that if startled my limbs stiffen and fall. Just one of the many symptoms I have .

It's common sense to protect yourself no matter how old you get.

OldFrill

It's prudent to have the odd item around the place that could be useful if self defence if necessary.
Personally I've got a terrier.

I agree. Dogs usually wake up at the slightest sound and will bark. Usually enough to make an intruder move on.

When I was in my late teens my parents had a Yorkshire terrier. They always knew wen I was in late, having gone to bed earlier, because he heard my footsteps from tens of yards away and would bark.

I think l would be to afraid to fight back to be honest. It's just me and the dog now, and Toby doesn't even bark, he is 16.
Obviously l keep everywhere locked, front door even in the day.
However, I had to have my extension roof replaced over the past 2 days. On the evening of the first day, only the new roof structure was up, leaving it open to the elements and anyone who wanted to use the ladders in climb into my kitchen.
That night l slept ,or tried to downstairs in the living room, guarding myself and Toby. I must admit l was scared, although l know it was unlikely that anyone would get in.
I also have to wander around our small estate quite late at night if Toby decides he needs the toilet. I do take my phone and a personal alarm. But again l live alone, lm 66 and l often think to myself who will l call if something happens to get to me quickly.

Oh dear oh dear

We are required,here in the UK under the terms of our insurance to have locks on all our windows. This insurance will be invalidated if we are not in the room with the open window The house gets pretty hot but I adhere to that, just opening a suitable window in our bedroom at night

All external doors are kept locked with a 5-bar lock When we moved in, some 50 years ago, any neighbour could drop in on shouting hello,
This is a village of some 100 inhabitants but we are close enough to London to have many newcomers who find they are able to upsize by moving here
I would not go out at night
My daughters felt, and were, perfectly safe in doing evening work in Hong Kong It was pointed out there that the Chinese were Not interested in English girls as their main interests were with the triads

In west Africa, the main interest seemed to be in raiding linen cupboards ( as ours was by a greased naked Ghanaian) Our neighbour, a rugby international had taken a dive at an intruder and felt him slip through his arms

Door locks were not, then, available and our predecessor secured the entire bungalow using meat skewers which were slotted like bolts , through rings on the door frame

In Singapore, the flat owner, whom my husband was replacing for a week or two found a gun in a drawer, left everything as it had been with a perfectly written note in English..... saying that he had not appreciated that the resident was important enough to own a gun and offered his apologies at breaking into the property of such an important person
And so... country by country.

Here in the UK should my husband be in hospital, I have a burglar alarm and keep a chair wedged under the door handle at night and now I have completely forgottn what the theme of his thread might be...... Apologies

Just be aware that when push comes to shove, you can have all the good intentions in the world about fighting back, defending yourself and so on, but you may well just freeze. I did a self-defence course and always thought that if anything happened, I would at least do something, but I was assaulted (on a crowded bus, of all places) by a man who groped me and I completely froze. I was surrounded by other passengers, but I literally could not move a muscle or even speak. To this day, when I think about it, I'm filled with horror - and I'm ashamed to my core that I didn't do something, didn't speak out, shout, scream, slap him or whatever.

The news at lunchtime said that the figures for violnt crime fell last year compared with previous years. Violent vrime is primaril a man on man problem.

Big events like the recent riots get media coverage, but otherwise for most people, especially women the chances of being randomly attacked are really quite low.

I lived and worked in London also and attended an ILEA self defence course run by an ex soldier. (Years ago!)

Apart from all of the usual advice about being aware of your surroundings and who’s about, I always remember him saying that if you were going to ‘fight back’ if someone physically attacked you, you had to really mean it.

You had to use pain as a distraction, so eyes and other sensitive parts had to be the target.

Escape or attracting attention were higher on his list but if you decide to retaliate you have to go for it …

I was attending an evening meeting late one night at our town hall. I spoke to the attendant who had a button which released doors to access steps to the upper floor meeting room. As he did so a young man came in behind me asking if I had a phone I told him no but his behaviour concerned me. As I went through the doors I flew along a corridor to the room n locked the door fortunately there was. Councillor in the room n she phoned police while the man was hammering on the door. He then went down the stairs and attacked a cleaning lady with a knife. He was according to the police who eventually arrived high on drugs. It was a very upsetting experience

A way forward has to be found. I’d keep it simple identified offences eg any against women and girls equals deportation. Tough if your country of origin discriminates against gays, Christian’s or rapists-sex offenders, off you go

grandtanteJE65

I keep my front door locked at all times and lock the back door when I go out, and at night.

As a young woman I learned to defend myself, as I worked in the evenings and often had to walk home alone after midnight.

I still feel that the risk of being mugged or attacked by a would-be-rapist is greater for young women than for us who are over the age of 70, and I know I can scream very loudly indeed, if I should need to. And kick where it hurts most!

I cannot get into the habit of taking my phone everywhere with me, it doesn't fit into most of my pockets, and frankly, any attacker would grab it before I could call the police.

So no, I take reasonable precautions, such as making sure no-one, literally no-one , knows where I keep my household purse and visa card when at home- apart from that I don't worry about being able to cope and certainly not about burgulars - if I did, I should get a dog fast.

If a man has an idea to rape a woman he doesn’t care about her age. My aunt was 68 when she was raped by two immigrants both in their 20s she died before it even got to court both went to jail and when got out of jail applied to stay here because would suffer if went back and they were allowed to stay in our soft country

Having been married to a judo instructor for over 60 years, I would not like to rely on any judo defence moves to defend myself.
2 things to try (if you don't freeze) grab a little finger and pull back . It can really hurt. For someone ":in your face" try a finger in the eye.
Don't scream. HOWL that will get more peoples attention

Years ago I was told off military police never carry purse and house keys in the same place. I’ve had my purse picked walking through shops in Newcastle I felt someone knock me but in a busy shopping centre you don’t think nothing of it. I now carry my purse on inside zip pocket of my coat my phone and keys in jacket pockets and my cross body bag only has my shopping bags in it. I’ve a lock on my back gate so extra protection for garden and back door. I’ve cameras on my house my sons did that. Us neighbors always tell each other when going away. I definitely wouldn’t attempt to go against anyone in this country nowadays you don’t know who is carrying a knife. We shouldn’t be feeling unsafe in our country government needs to get a grip and protect us instead of saying I’m going to crack down on it. Because that’s what the last lot said too.

I keep my front door locked at all times and lock the back door when I go out, and at night.

As a young woman I learned to defend myself, as I worked in the evenings and often had to walk home alone after midnight.

I still feel that the risk of being mugged or attacked by a would-be-rapist is greater for young women than for us who are over the age of 70, and I know I can scream very loudly indeed, if I should need to. And kick where it hurts most!

I cannot get into the habit of taking my phone everywhere with me, it doesn't fit into most of my pockets, and frankly, any attacker would grab it before I could call the police.

So no, I take reasonable precautions, such as making sure no-one, literally no-one , knows where I keep my household purse and visa card when at home- apart from that I don't worry about being able to cope and certainly not about burgulars - if I did, I should get a dog fast.

Ziggy62
My father instructed me ( not literally) to aim lower, somewhere in the nether regions 😉
Also the eyes and a very painful area is the philtrum.l

Im not letting recent events scare me I'm sensible when out and about but that's it