Condition Black; Assault in progress.

The following is information gleaned from the manuscript for the book :

Title: "Condition: Black" Sub title: assault in progress

Title copyright of R. J. Nash.

Data has been gathered from a Home Office study group formed to investigate violence within modern society. This study lists what are now becoming known as "Habitual acts of violence". A "Habitual Act Of Violence" (HAOV) is one that is repeatedly seen to be used in a given situation. The data was gathered mainly from within the United Kingdom and Europe.

I personally find this information phenomenally useful for training as it has altered my thinking a great deal, from what technique should I use when this happens to one or two responses to the most common types of assault.

Its not really my place to say I suppose but for those of you who teach women, i think that the most common assault(s) of male on female is/are a real eye opener (I have specifically highlighted & underlined the most common) & you should work against that threat, not just in a physical sense of technique but in getting them to scream & shout & get attention!!! The male on female assaults have a different goal then the male on male violence & any attention being drawn is the very last thing they want & may induce panic in the attacker.

If the article is correct in its interpretatation of the stats it was assimilated from then in terms of male on female assault it is better to fight & scream & raise hell than acquiesce.

I have copied and pasted the article as I found it & have included the link at the bottom.





Threat awareness and avoidance.

1. Just because a person is a relative, friend or colleague does not make them a ‘safe’ person in respect of potential sexual assault. Most sexual assaults are committed by persons who have intimate knowledge of the victim. Always be aware of the possibility of assault.

2. The most common place of assault is in the home. Close all doors and windows when you are home alone. If it is necessary to have a window open, have a lock fitted that will allow partial opening with security. Always use security chain on the door when answering callers. Ensure that the chain is sufficient to delay forced entry for at least ten seconds. No matter how well you know a male, try not to invite them in when you are alone. Designate one room as a place of safety. This room should have only one entrance and be equipped with a stout door, an internal bolt, a panic alarm, a telephone and a weapon of choice. Ensure you are completely familiar with the weapon and can confidently use it. There are many utility weapons around the house, familiarise yourself with these and be prepared to use them
3. When walking alone, be aware of your environment and the persons around you, avoid lonely deserted areas. Frequently change your route to and from home, especially in lightly populated areas. Remember, most attackers know you and your routine. Avoid walking close to alleyways or parked cars and vans/panel trucks. If you feel uneasy or troubled, there is probably good cause for you to feel this. Search for the reason. If you feel you are being followed, don’t try to establish the fact, just go quickly to a place of safety. Once there, don’t leave until you are sure it is safe. Always carry a personal alarm and a utility weapon. Attackers are looking for easy victims. Walk confidently with head high and show awareness.
4. If you are accosted (point A) remember that your attacker has chosen his assault place (point B). NEVER allow yourself to be taken from point A to point B. Your best chance of escape is at point A by direct and immediate action. If you think that by going along without resistance you will not be hurt, you are wrong. Even if you are not physically beaten, you will suffer severe emotional trauma. Research shows that if you resist and are successful, you will suffer virtually no long-term trauma. If you have resisted but the assault is still successful, you will come to terms with it quicker than those who do not resist.
5. Never think that you can appeal for mercy or to your attackers sympathetic nature. If he had sympathy or mercy, he would not be attacking you. Therefore when defending yourself, Show No Mercy.



Habitual Acts of Violence: Part One

Male on Male, Close Quarters.

These are listed in frequency order.

1. One person pushes, hands to chest, which is normally followed by the pushee striking first, to the head.

2. A swinging punch to the head.

3. A front clothing grab, one handed, followed by punch to the head.

4. A front clothing grab, two hands, followed by a head butt.

5. A front clothing grab, two hands, followed by a knee to the groin.

6. A bottle, glass, or ashtray to the head.

7. A lashing kick to groin/lower legs.

8.A broken bottle/glass jabbed to face.

9. A slash with knife, most commonly a 3 to 4"lockblade knife or kitchen utility knife. (Apart from muggings, sexual assaults and gang violence, the hunting/combat type knife is seldom used)

10.A grappling style head lock.

Only one occasion of a well known boxer, caught on night club cctv, opening the conflict with a hook punch to the body.

An interesting point was highlighted. Most fights, after the initial encounter, quickly degenerated into scrappy scuffling with head and waist grabbing and ended on the floor. Which brings to mind that most Shotokaners lack groundwork skills. Anyone brave enough to redress this imbalance on the list?



Habitual Acts of Violence: Part Two

Offences against the person, male on female

These are listed in frequency order.

This data was gathered from interviews with victims and offenders and from statements. Data only covers robbery/sexual methodology and changes relative to first contact with victim ie., venue/ night/day etc.

Domestic violence is not covered as this is a specific subject of its' own.

1. The victim was approached from the rear/side/front, a threat was made with a weapon, and then the weapon was hidden.

Then the victim's right upper arm was held by the attacker's left hand and the victim was led away.

2. A silent or rushing approach was made from the victim's rear, and then a rear neck/head lock applied and the victim dragged away.

3. The same approach as in #2, with a rear waist grab. The victim was carried/dragged away, normally into bushes/alley etc.

4. The victim was pinned to a wall with a throat grab with the attacker's left hand. A weapon-shown threat was made, and then the weapon hidden, and the victim led away.

5. The victim was approached from rear/ front/side. The attacker grabbed the victim's hair with his left hand, and then she was dragged away.

The Most Common Wrist Grips, Male On Female.

1. The attacker's left hand, thumb uppermost, gripping the victim's raised right wrist. The attacker threatens/ gesticulates with his right hand.

2. With the victim's right arm down, the attacker grips the victim's right upper arm with his left hand and her right wrist with his right hand.

3. The victim raises both arms, with both of her wrists gripped. The attacker's hands are vertical with the attacker's thumbs uppermost.

4. With the victim's arms down, the attacker grabs both upper arms.

5. With the victim's right arm down, the attacker's left hand grabs just below the right elbow, and his right hand grabs her wrist.

A fact worth mentioning at this point is that research shows that women who violently resist ,whether the attack is successful or not, cope with the aftershock and trauma (Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome) better than those who go quietly and hope they won't be hurt. Very few who do resist get badly battered or cut.

Research/profiling seems to indicate that if an attacker is likely to batter or stab, it will happen whether resistance is given or not.

Conclusion

Probably the most important advice a self defence instructor can give is : Be aware of the possibility of violence at any time, never think "it can’t happen to me".

http://users.tpg.com.au/adsltl2y/karate/html/jeffnashhaov.htm

Excellent. Great insight. It's standard SP stuff really, but it underlines the importance of training for the basics (Which is what I enjoy teaching).

A couple of things stood out to me... the wrist grab section goes to show that the 'fencing up' is a natural reaction. That is to say using the hands as a natural barrier. We know that anyway, but it's reassuring to know that by teaching 'advanced' fence tactics we are simply building on and honing a natural reaction

The other thing was the point on preventing PTSD. I discovered this for myself through personal experience of fucked up situations (mainly as a child). I discovered that if you make some sort of effort, assert your self in some way against that which is causing the trauma, then the after effects will be less. Specifically, if you can summon up some aggression, and fight back against that which is attempting to dominate you (whatever/whoever it may be), even if you are unsuccessful, you will cope with it better post-event. This theory was later confirmed when I started reading up on psychology.

This is really what took me out of TMA and into SP really. I was mugged by a group of guys when I was about 12 and what basically happened was they saw me, approached, I had a MASSIVE overload of adrenaline and fear, and when they came over and simply asked me for my stuff.... I just gave it to them. Not one ounce of resistance. People saw me just totally capitulate, and THAT'S what set me up for a whole heap of psychological weirdness that I later found to be PTSD. (this was combined with some other traumatic stuff from when I was 6 years old too).

And that's one of the most valuable things about SP training. Even if you don't become a deadly ninja Jason Bourne type, if you can learn to have a 'positive reaction' (i.e an aggressive reaction) towards those things which are intimidating, then that's a huge step. The ultimate level being the ability or tendency to totally overide the 'flight' response.

Ramble over

agreed. one of my ex'students who i've known to curl up in the fetal position when a guy came into our work site yelling
[had been abused by her husband for years--to include a gun to her pregnant belly, etc...]. used the agro stuff i was brain
washing her with until she became a delinquent student and i let her go. the agro was enough for her to take away a tremendous boost to her psychological state. she's still a lazy f'up of a student, but that one lesson alone still has her confidence level at a continued high. she had nailed the ex'hubby several times and he was also shocked to see her different
personality emerge. it haulted his advance and reduced it to retreating and cursing [shocking and new behavior].

in short: fight like a wild animal always--right to the end

my mother was mugged by a guy that mugged loads of women for the valuables. she was the ONLY one not physically belted about...she had screamed as loud as an opera singer and the guys neck hairs must have rose for the potential witnesses.

in short: loud and agressive is better than passive and compliant

i have other examples, but these support the point. unpredictable behavior wins the race--to safety

Are the Home Office not aware that this breaches several Health and Safety regulations???

Can anyone tell me what this weapon would consist of, or does it just mean hit them with your phone?

Very interesting stats, Thanks for posting this. I also wonder how similar these stats would be to the US.

Noise & fuss a great idea, mike combined with extreme aggressive action.

If the Bad Guys scheme runs along the lines of I grab her, scare her, hurt her control her, take her somewhere & do what I want. Would hopefully & probably go to shit if I grab her..crunch..aarrgh!..pain!...nose is bleeding!....shes is screaming & shouting!, lots of noise...Ohhh no..run!!!

Roadkill, the most frequent attacks would seem to be world wide rather than culturally specific. Though I cannot really judge, my own experiences, both personal & witnessed would seem to bear them out for the UK.

When I assume it is world wide it is because the most frequent male on male attacks seem to match the description of the Monkey Dance or male hierachical violence or whatever you choose to call the dominance game we have all witnessed over & over again, either in the street or online through camera phone vids & CCTV, of two men fighting.

I am thinking of Ritchies post recently on anchoring with the left whilst striking with the right.

Concerning headbutts, I never understand the reluctance of some US SP practioners to take them seriously. They are very effective & extremely common here in the UK. I suspect that anywhere that true football is the dominant sport, you see it. By which I mean the UK, Western & Eastern Europe, The Middle East & Central & Southern Americas. I am not including you in the above remark roadkill, was reading on Hocks forum & somewhere else recently.

Mike. Dont buy fake CS spray. make some. Jallapeno or scotch bonnet.

Quote :

It also gave me the impetus to fit a rape alarm to her keyring, been meaning to do that for a while but forgot i'd bought it.

The important thing with this, as with weapons is DON'T JUST CARRY IT, HAVE IT READY. Most women I've given alarms to give a polite thank you and then put them in their bags... totally oblivious to the fact that if the shizzle hit the fizzle, they'd never be able get the thing out of their bag in time to set it off. Adrenaline/fine motor skills etc. The trick is, when walking alone at night (or day if you like), to actually have the thing in the hand ready to go.

Quote :

The point about having a 'safe room' in your house was totally unexpected. Actually all of that stuff. Makes perfect sense though

I got one here in the flat. It's good to have if you live with wife/kids. Preferably a window-less room with an extra heavy-duty door that can be bolted from within.