The Criminal's Attack Plan

What Self Defense Misses

If you live in Huntersville, Cornelius, or the Lake Norman area, this post could literally change how you walk through the world. Real self-defense training always includes situational awareness training like the following. Most martial arts schools don't.

Crime scene tape used to show Krav Maga LKN is focused on real self-defense, not sport.

What Is The S.I.V.A.

Model Of Self Defense?

Almost all crime can be broken down into these four steps.

Selection

Isolation

Verbal

Attack

Knowing the four stages of an attack is crucial for you to develop a plan to defend yourself. It's also why martial art schools are wrong when they claim to teach you self defense. Almost none of them include instruction in how criminals select victims.

It doesn't matter whether it's a crime against a person, or a crime against property almost every single crime follows these four steps.

Yes, there is one step ahead of all of these. That's "Intent." My problem with intent is that we can't do anything about it. Maybe the criminal wasn't hugged enough. Maybe he had to eat crunch peanut butter and all he really wanted was smoothie. It doesn't matter. We have no influence or control over that element.

Selection - Avoid Being The Target

Maybe it's the house to be burgled, the vehicle to carjacked, the man to be mugged, the woman to be raped, the pocket to be picked or the bank to be robbed.

It doesn't really matter. The target is going to be selected in much the same way as it is in the animal kingdom.

You can very much influence whether or not you're chosen. Body language and awareness have a massive impact according to the "Greyson/Stein study."

Cheetah image on Krav Maga LKN site showing how predators select prey—like human attackers do.

How Criminals Pick Their Victims: Greyson Stein Study

The Greyson Stein study filmed normal people walking. They took the film and showed human predators who were in prison, asking, who would you choose. In almost every case the same people were picked.

It didn't matter whether they were female or male, small or big, black or white. They all picked the same. Nobody knew whether these people were armed, could fight or anything else other than how they carried themselves.

We can correct that. And, in so doing, we reduce the risk of ever being chosen. Self-defense 101.

If you want to learn more about this don't forget to sign up for your free trial.

Isolation

When They Wait To Strike

Once the criminal has you isolated now he's going to make his move.

People aren't being mugged or raped in the food court at the mall but I'd submit many victims have been chosen there and followed to when they were on their own.

This is when it pays to be hyper-vigilant and practice your situational awareness. Unfortunately it's when most people drop their guard.

In the crowds they tend to look at who's around them. What's on sale? Who do I know? What are those two doing? Outside, they pull out their phones removing their single best chance of spotting an impending attack.

Alternatively, they get to their car and start figuring out where to put things, or buckling kids in.

Verbal
The Hidden Setup

Before The Attack

Next comes verbal. Sexual predators will say something lewd to gauge your reaction. Maybe it's a road rage incident with swearing and screaming.

It might be a distraction technique such as "Hey man, have you got the time?" Even pickpockets use verbal. They'll yell out in a crowd that they've just had their pocket picked.

Naturally everyone reaches for their wallets and purses to check they're not victims too. The pickpocket's team mates are watching and now they know exactly where your money is when they make their move.

Verbal conflict scene used to highlight real-world de-escalation training in Krav Maga.

With regards to the screaming and yelling and insults you need to know verbal de-escalation. Who teaches that? Not your local Brazilian ju-jutsu school. Your MMA class won't teach you that either and nor will the Tae Kwan Do crowd. Only self-defense classes teach this oft overlooked skill. This is why we teach more than just fighting.

Remember, if I can say something in a situation to make it worse, I can say something to make it better.

Kids fighting showing about criminals and krav maga for self defense.

The Attack

Where Martial Arts Usually Begin

Finally, the last step in the process is the fight, or attack itself.

This is where your local martial art school begins their program. "He's coming at you with a knife." "He's choking you." "He's tackled you to the ground."

They then tell you they're teaching self-defense when in reality they're only teaching you how to fight.

75% of the process, how to avoid being chosen, how to practice situational awareness, and how to verbally de-escalate have been ignored.