I teach Personal Safety and Self Defense to a wide variety of people. From school children to close protection officers and church groups everyone needs to learn the skills to avoid trouble and protect themselves. Many of the people I teach are surprised when I spend so much time talking about Personal Safety for the workplace. Adults spend on average 1/3 of our lives in our workplace. We work, gossip, date, and sometimes harm the people we work with and for.

For many of us the workplace is a place to relax your guard. My occupation precludes this attitude, but just because you don’t work in a maximum security facility doesn’t necessarily mean you’re safe at work either. Workplace violence and the potential to become a target for crime or violence are very real.

• Nearly 20% of all instances of violent victimization including; physical assault, sexual assault and robbery occurred in the victims workplace.
• 71% of the instances of workplace violence were classified as physical assaults. (Men and women were equally likely to report experiencing workplace violence)
• 85% of sexual assaults are committed by someone known to the victim.
• Violent crime rates are 4X higher than the 1960’s.

The statistics are not encouraging and we are all responsible for our own Personal Safety.  Does that surprise you? Many people will tell me I’m wrong and that the Police are responsible for their safety. What I remind them, is the fact that the Police are paid to protect society, not the individual. They would lay down their lives in an instant to keep us safe but personal protection is not their function. They are an instrument of the law and are the pointy end of the spear when it comes to dealing with the lawless. But I digress; the point is don’t leave your safety in someone else’s hands, the average Police response time in most major cities is between 4-7 minutes. How many bad things can happen to you in seven minutes?

So, what can the average person do the make his/her office a more secure place and increase their Personal Safety? There is an old military axiom that invariable proves true. It is fondly referred to as the law of 7 P’s. (Proper Previous Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance) Your reasons for planning are simple, to reduce risk through proactive preventative action. Read your companies Policy and Procedures in regards to Personal Safety. If there is no Safety Plan request one be created. It doesn’t cost a lot of time or money to keep everyone safe.

• Lock your desk, computer and office door every time you leave, even if it is only for a few minutes.
• Ensure that exterior and locked doors stay locked and are not propped open.
• Practice diligent access control procedures.
• Don’t openly display identification or cardkeys when outside the workplace.
• Ensure that you are familiar with your workplace safety plan. Take part in any meetings, drills, or training provided.
• Be aware that you will increasingly vulnerable on your way to and from work. Do you arrive early or leave after dark?
• Closely examine your office for risks to your Personal Safety. Ask yourself these questions:

1. How accessible is your office to the public. Can anyone off the street walk in or are there buffers such as a security station or a reception area?
2. Where are you seated? Does your back face the door or can you observe people as they enter and exit.
3. What are your options? If you were confronted by an angry or irrational person in your office what could you do? Is your office set up to allow you to escape if necessary? Environmental security is a concept every person working in an office should become familiar with.

Situational Awareness is being tactically aware of the world around you. It involves examining the environment and identifying potential risks. I like to use the example of strangers in the workplace. In my workplace visitors, volunteers and contractors have identification coded to tell staff who they are, where they are allowed to go and whether they require staff escorts at all times. I’ve also got interlocking doors, cameras, razor wire, perimeter fences, a security team and an emergency response team to prevent unauthorized access and egress. Most workplaces don’t have nor do they need this type of access control. If you see someone in your office that you don’t know or feel shouldn’t be there;

• Be friendly and courteous and ask if you can be of assistance. If they have a legitimate reason to be in the building/area they will tell you and will likely be appreciative of the assistance.
• If they do not have a legitimate reason to be in the building contact security and ask them to leave. Most people do not have sinister intent and will leave when requested.
• Always be prepared. What will you do if the person refuses to leave, or becomes angry and violent? Always know a safe place where you can run and await help.

OK, so you’ve done everything right and you’ve still ended up with an irate, potentially violent customer/worker in your office. It’s important to understand that violence is rarely about necessity. It is usually the results of the emotions or a perceived slight or loss of face. In the workplace some of the warning signs that violence is imminent are:

1.      Threats towards you or others.

2.      Refusal to leave the area.

3.      Appears to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

4.      Angry and verbally abusive

5.      Body language indicates a threat posture.

6.      Hands suddenly reach inside of pockets or clothing.

It’s important to understand that an angry person is a potentially dangerous person. Trying to de-escalate the situation is always your safest bet if you can’t leave the situation. Some guidelines for de-escalating angry people are:

• Don’t panic; staying calm and controlling your own emotions and fear are excellent methods of keeping the situation from escalating. You staying calm and in control will help the other person regain control of their temper.
• Be cooperative. This doesn’t mean that you agree with the angry person, just that you are displaying empathy for their concern. This is often the first step to gaining control of the situation. It’s hard to stay mad at someone who is trying to help you.
• Use Environmental Security to place yourself in a position of safety or to allow time to escape the situation if the need arises.
• Always have a way out. Your job is not to be a counselor or a hostage negotiator; unless you are a counselor or hostage negotiator. Don’t stay in a potentially dangerous situation if you can leave. The longer you stay in a bad situation, the fewer options you will have.
• Be respectful. Always treat people with respect and dignity regardless of their behavior. This can go a long way towards avoiding violence or aggression.
• Don’t argue. Arguing with an angry person is not only futile it is counterproductive. It will increase their heart rate and place them in Adrenal Stress and likely escalate the situation towards violence.
• Use voice tone and body language to de-escalate angry individuals. Lowering your voice often causes others to lower their own voice in order to hear what you are saying. This has the effect of lowering their hear rate and allowing them to regain control of themselves. Non-threatening body language communicates that you mean no harm and are not looking to fight. We call it the “Interview Stance”. This is simply involves placing your hands up in front of you (palms out) and one leg back and to a 45 degree angle. This stance is very non-threatening and also presents a smaller target to an attacker and allows you to move quickly in any direction. Having your hands up means you can defend yourself if necessary.
• Trust your gut. If it feels like it’s all going South in a big hurry, don’t second guess yourself. Get out of the situation and call for help.

Remember the statistics at the beginning of this article? We all say “It will never happen here.” If it’s not happening in our workplace then where are all these statistics coming from? Usually everyone I speak with has the same reaction. They all say “It will never happen here.” Then it is usually followed up with the exculpatory phrase “But if it was going to happen it would be ----- that would go postal.” Keep that in mind as you ride the elevator to your floor.

Kerry Sauve

We live in the information age. Computers enable us to conduct business, date and socialize. Our communications look like something out of Star Trek and we have almost instant access to information on almost anyone or any subject. As technology has evolved so have criminals who seek to steal and use your identity for their own profit. Identity theft is a multi-billion dollar crime. That’s right I said multi-billion. What I didn’t say is; low risk, at least for the criminals. If you’ve read past articles I’ve written you’ll understand that I view crime as a business. I’ve worked for too many years in maximum security facilities to view it as anything else. Most gang members I know refer to themselves as businessmen.

Let’s examine this crime and look at some of the steps we can take to reduce our risk of becoming a target for identity theft and what to do if we find ourselves victims. Bill C-27 of the Canadian Criminal Code covers Identity Theft. It was created to deal with criminal activity in the following areas;

1. Illegally Possessing or Trafficking In Government Documents
2. Forgery and Similar Offences
3. Identity Theft
4. Trafficking In Identity Information
5. Identity Fraud
6. Use and Copying of Credit Card Data
7. Mail Related Offences.

Unfortunately, sometimes the identity thief doesn’t have to work very hard to earn a living. Many times people throw away or freely give information without realizing how it can be used against them. There are some very easy things that you can do everyday to reduce your risk of Identity Theft;

• Never give out personal information to anyone without first knowing what it’s for, who will have access to it and how it will be safeguarded.

• Buy a good quality shredder and completely destroy any documents that have personal or financial information associated with them. (credit card receipts, insurance information, credit applications, pay stubs, income tax returns, as well as cheques and financial statements)

• Destroy all expired and inactive credit cards and bank cards. (Just because the card is expired doesn’t necessarily mean the number is invalid)

• Only carry the identification that you need. (No one needs more than 2 credit cards at a time and you rarely ever need your SIN, passport or birth certificate. Keep these in a safe deposit box or a fire proof safe.)

• Be very wary when entering contests, draws and giveaways. (Often the forms ask for a lot more personal information than is required. Remember once you put your information out there you have no control over where it goes, who will have access to it, or how it will be used.)

• Encrypt and password protect sensitive data and personal information. (Don’t use passwords that are centered around common themes; your birthdate, anniversary, dog’s name etc. Use random combinations of numbers, letters and symbols in order to increase security.)

• Don’t put more than your basic personal information on your cheques.

• Be wary of social networking sites and what information you provide online. (Apps and add-ons email and games can disguise malware or viruses and insert malicious code or key logger programs into your system.)

• Find out how your employer stores your personal data, who has access to it and how it will be used.

Part of the problem for you and a huge advantage for the identity thief is the fact that gaining access to one or two key pieces of identification can be used to obtain even more illegitimate, legitimate identification. Do you see the problem here? So, I as the bad guy manage to steal your social insurance number from the old tax returns you threw out because you were too lazy to shred. I take your information and use it to order new sets of documents ((driver’s license, birth certificate, bank accounts, utilities accounts, credit cards, bank cards…you get the picture.) For Canadians we have six pieces of “key identification”.

• Social Insurance Number (Never give your SIN number to anyone who does not require it. The local DVD store does not require your SIN for membership.)

• Drivers License (Your license is more than just proof that you’re reasonably competent to drive. It is also one of the most universally accepted forms of identification, proof of residency and date of birth. Losing your license number in itself isn’t really the issue. In this case it’s the document itself. A thief who obtains your drivers license can scan or alter your license in order to attempt to obtain other identification or services or as a means to use your identity as an alias.)

• Permanent Residents Card

• Certificate of Canadian Citizenship

• Canadian Passport (This document is proof of Canadian Citizenship anywhere in the world. If your passport is lost or stolen contact 1-888-567-6868 or visit http://www.pptc.gc.ca)

• Birth Certificate (One of the few personal identification documents that do not contain an expiry date. Keep it locked in a safe place. Used as a primary piece of identification to apply for credit, services and other identification; i.e. SIN number.)

Here’s the thing, it’s your identity and your responsibility to keep it safe and secure. We often incorrectly assume that information that we put online is secure. By its very nature the internet is insecure. Hacking, cracking, ripping, phishing and a myriad of other online scams and thievery are designed to obtain your information and sell it for a profit or as a front to commit other criminal acts; be careful. You can tell when an online browser is a secure link as there will be an https: prefix or an unbroken key/lock on the screen.

So how do you keep your information secure? You monitor it.

• Check your accounts. Always challenge any purchases or transactions you did not make.

• Obtain copies of your credit report several times a year. This will give you access to the information the credit bureau has about your credit history, financial information, collection activity as well as “who” has requested your information.

• Check your mail. If your credit card statements, bank statements, utilities etc don’t arrive on time contact the billing agency. If your identity has been compromised the bills may be re-routed to an alternate billing address.

• Hold on to receipts. Match your ATM and credit card receipts to your bank statement and follow up any discrepancy.

• Pay attention to expiry dates. If your old credit card has expired and you have not received a replacement, contact your card provider. Identity thieves can steal cards from the mail or have yours sent to an alternate address.

• Be skeptical. Always be wary of offers and promotions through the mail, telephone and email. Don’t give out any personal information.

• Keep records. Keep a copy of all names account numbers, records and expirations dates of credit cards and photo copies (front and back) of all other “key information” in a secure, locked place. This way you’ll have access to the numbers and information in the event that you need to contact your credit card company, government of lost or stolen identity information.

• Don’t write down your passwords. Memorize them, change them often and don’t make them predictable. Use random combinations of letters, numbers and symbols instead of birthdates, anniversaries etc.

• Protect your PIN numbers. So many times I see people blithely entering PIN numbers into the ATM pad or at the gas station I wonder why more criminals don’t specialize in this seemingly target rich environment.

If your identity has been stolen or you feel you have been the victim of identity theft;

• Call the police. You will need a police file number for the credit card company, your bank and any subsequent paperwork you will be required to fill out.

• Contact the credit card company/your bank immediately. Keep records of who you spoke with and what was discussed.

• Contact the Credit Bureau. Contact Equifax Canada Inc at 1-800-465-7166 or TransUnion of Canada Inc at 1-866-525-0262. They will place flags on your file and help you review it for signs of activity or incorrect or false information.

• Contact Social Development of Canada. If you believe someone has been using your SIN number or it has been stolen or lost. 1-800-206-7218 or http://www.sdc.gc.ca .  

In other articles we’ll discuss some of the scams and tricks that are used to fraudulently gain access to your identity and information. We’ll examine the use of technology and good old fashioned slight of hand and how they are used by modern criminal organizations to gain access to our information.

Kerry Sauve

Unfortunately we are increasingly placed at risk from threats that 20 years ago would be considered far fetched or unlikely to occur in North America. The threat to our Personal Safety by the use of explosive devices and other forms of terrorism has never been greater. 9/11 and events such as the bombing of the Oklahoma Federal Building has forever changed the way Western culture views itself in relation to our vulnerability to this sort of attack. Let’s examine some of the facts surrounding this phenomenon and look at what we can do to reduce their risk of being the victim of this type of attack.

First we have to admit there is a problem. Our office buildings are soft targets; meaning they are vulnerable in numerous ways to terrorists and criminal activity. They may have CCTV, perimeter barriers, alarms and an onsite security force. Some will have x-ray and metal detectors if they house high risk or high profile clients. Most however do not have a comprehensive security/safety plan, nor are their security forces adequately trained or prepared to recognize, assess and deal with these types of incidents in order to preserve lives, property and infrastructure. I work with many clients who are based out of office towers. When I visit them at their workplace I get to observe just how vulnerable they are firsthand. Multiply this vulnerability by the number of office buildings in your city and you begin to see the scope of the problem.

So why don’t we take the time to institute an operational security plan and ensure that any onsite security has adequate training to implement the plan in case of an emergency? Well, it comes down to money. You see having a security audit conducted and developing an operational security plan is not cheap. Companies that specialize in this area have a breadth of knowledge and experience to ensure that all aspects of safety/security are addressed. http://www.diligencellp.com/default.htm and http://superiorcp.com/ are two excellent examples.

Properly equipping and training security personnel takes time, training, experience and money. Properly instituted security can be minimally intrusive while ensuring that adequate protection is instituted based on a realistic threat assessment. Obviously buildings with high profile or high risk clients (consulates, federal or provincial government agencies) would need a much greater level of security in place. What it comes down to is Risk Management and Mitigation. Now multiply this cost and use of resources by the number of office buildings just in your city and you begin to see the cost of remediation.

Some of the common areas of concern that need to be addressed in the security plan are;

• Fire/Arson
• Theft (information, technology, infrastructure, data, blueprints, key personnel)
• Explosive Devices (bomb threats, suicide bomber, mail bombs, truck bombs, etc)
• Cyber Attacks
• Criminal Activity
• Weapons Related Incidents
• Hostage Situations
• Biological/Radiological Incidents
• Attacks on Utilities Infrastructure (power, gas, communications, information/data, emergency response)

Buildings have unique characteristics that must be analyzed and accounted for to ensure the safety of the buildings tenants and employees. Some of the factors that should influence security planning are;

• Proximity to High Value Targets
• Building Design
• Types of Tenants/Occupations
• Potential for Collateral Damage
• Fire Suppression Limitations/Vulnerability
• Site and Perimeter Vulnerability
• Access Control Vulnerability (tenants, visitors, parking, loading docks, elevators, food services, stair wells, etc)
• Vulnerability by Design
•  HVAC Vulnerability
• Infrastructure/Operations and Utility Vulnerability
• Emergency Response Vulnerability
• Information/Data Vulnerability

9/11 has shown us that North America is a viable target for attack. We need to realistically examine our potential value as targets for various political, financial or ideological reasons. We need to be aware of our potential to becoming a target for crime or terrorism and that our safety and security are our own responsibility. If you work in one of these buildings then see if your company has emergency response procedures in place to keep you safe. If they do, ensure that you know it and understand it and that in the event of a crisis you’d know what to do. If they don’t you may want to do a little homework in the areas I’ve listed above. Remember it’s always better to have something and not need it than it is to need something and not have it.

Kerry Sauve

The statistics for sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence and crime in general should be a motivating factor for women everywhere to learn the skills necessary to keep them safe in a dangerous world. Personal Safety and Self Defense are not difficult to learn, implement or master. They do require a bit of time, energy and courage to acquire, but once gained are as invaluable as First Aid and CPR as lifesaving tools. This article is a great starting point for women who are considering taking a Personal Safety and Self Defense course. It discusses what is involved in the design of a well structured course and the types of questions women should be asking prior to signing up. We will also look at some basic strategies and concepts that apply to the science of Self Defense and explore the similarities and differences between Self Defense and Martial Arts.

Why should women take a Personal Safety and Self Defense course? If you’ve read past articles then you know that the statistics are not encouraging. 33% of women are sexually assaulted in their lifetime. 85% are committed by someone known to the victim. 7% of women are abused by current or former partners. The reality of the matter is that; it is your life and the responsibility for keeping you safe and secure is yours alone. Don’t get me wrong, we live in a society of rules and laws and have the police and courts to enforce them, but (and there always seems to be a but) they don’t usually become involved until after a crime has been committed.

First it is imperative to understand the differences between “Personal Safety” and “Self Defense”. They are not the same thing, but Self Defense is a part of Personal Safety. Personal Safety is a mindset. It involves learning to identify, assess and deal with potential threats in a proactive and preventative manner. The martial arts when used in the correct manner and circumstances and by a trained practitioner can be very effective as a means to protect yourself from harm. As a lifelong practitioner I can personally attest to their efficacy. The problem with learning a traditional martial art as a Self Defense strategy is twofold.

It takes a great many years to acquire the skills to make the martial arts work in an actual combat situation and much of what is taught in the dojo has no street applicability. Secondly these hard won skills are frangible. This means that if you are not practicing these skills on a regular basis they will rapidly degrade in power and effectiveness. Another factor is that martial arts classes generally do not adequately prepare the student physically, emotionally and psychologically for the realities of violence on the street. In all my years working on in a jail, I've never seen a fight, ambush or jumping executed in a manner that would be deemed fair or equitable to the intended victim.

One of the biggest limiting factors of martial arts classes is the fact that training cannot occur at full speed and power due to the risk of injury to instructor, student and training partners. The training that occurs is also not realistic nor does it reflect the fact that most attacks do not occur as they are set up in class. Operant conditioning theory dictates that you will fight like you train. If you are training to pull strikes and not defend yourself with 100% effort, then you will continue to engage in these practices when an actual attack occurs. Training must occur in as realistic a manner as possible and under Adrenal Stress to teach students how to function during a real assault

90% of Personal Safety is Knowledge, Planning, Preparation, Practice and Training. How does one acquire knowledge? The first step is to “Know what you don’t know”. This is not eastern mysticism it merely means to acknowledge the fact that you need some help. When I previously stated that learning these skills is not difficult, that is not the same thing as saying it is easy. It is not an A+B=C equation. Women should look for courses that offer holistic training. Programs must identify all areas of a woman’s life and incorporate a realistic approach to Personal Safety & Security. They must also address what I call the Personal Safety Triangle.  This is a combination of three sets of Personal Safety skills; Situational Awareness, Target Hardening and Emergency Response and Mitigation. I’ll discuss the Personal Safety Triangle in detail in another article.

These skill sets provide a stable base from which to build a “Personal Safety Plan”. Used in combination with other risk management strategies such as the C4 Method of Personal Safety they reduce personal risk by addressing multiple areas of vulnerability simultaneously. Here’s where the effort is required. A lot of this knowledge is available free of charge if you know where to look. The fact that you are reading this article proves the point. You need to take the time to read and understand what it means, and how it all applies to your life. A good instructor is also invaluable in that they will ensure that you receive proper training in all areas of Personal Safety.

 Acquiring knowledge and using that knowledge to effectively design and implement an effective Personal Safety Plan is a combination of art and science. It takes some time and experience to learn to trust your instincts and identify potential threats to your safety, but the reward is well worth the effort. Personal Safety like Self Defense, First Aid/CPR and driving a car are all frangible skills. What this means is that if they are not practiced and utilized regularly their proficiency and efficiency are greatly reduced. These skills must also be practiced in the manner in which they will be used.

I’ve written in detail about the importance of Reality Based Training in other articles and so I won’t recover that ground again here. What should be emphasized instead is the benefits for you to incorporate this incredibly powerful training method into your Personal Safety Plan. The military, police and corrections have long used this method of training for one simple reason; it imprints combat ready skills directly into the neural pathways of the trainee ensuring instant access to these lifesaving skills while under adrenal stress. Only by using your Personal Safety Plan and practicing Self Defense on a consistent basis will it have any effect on reducing your risk of becoming a victim of crime or harm.

The other 10% of the Personal Safety equation is learning the Self Defense skills that will allow you to safely escape a potentially violent situation. Although the smallest part of Personal Safety, Self Defense is the hardest part for women to learn. There are several reasons for this.

• We are hardwired against committing violence against our own species. There is a great deal of research to support this conjecture done by military and law enforcement experts. Despite what we see in the media it is actually pretty difficult for most people to hurt someone else; even to protect themselves. 
• Women are socialized differently. This is not a sexist statement or generalization. To not acknowledge that a woman’s fundamental psychological, emotional, social and physical responses are different from that of a man is uneducated and dangerous. To compound this error in thinking by training women the same way as one would a male student is irresponsible.
• Many Self Defense courses don’t provide “Reality Based Training”. Too many Self Defense courses are conducted like a martial arts class. Learning to apply a technique against a Thai Pad or unresisting/untrained partner is a great way to learn the mechanics of a technique and develop power. Unfortunately it also gives women an unrealistic sense of self-confidence that the same technique will actually work in combat. Student’s must be placed under Adrenal Stress and taught simple, effective and practical Self Defense full speed and full power against an armored/determined attacker in order to understand the physical, emotional and psychological effects an actual attack will have. Vital Point Striking and Kinetic Linking should be essential elements to every course.
•  They are afraid. Many women are afraid to take part in this type of course due to the fears and emotions involved. These are all normal reactions to the unknown and completely rational and well founded. The fact is that an improperly structured, planned or instructed Self Defense course can damage a participant physically, emotionally and psychologically. Especially for women who have a history of abuse or have previously been assaulted. Instructors must be well trained in recognizing and dealing with the signs & symptoms of abuse and Sexual Assault Syndrome in order to avoid damaging their students. Fear is a good/healthy life prolonging reaction to potential threats; it is unfounded fear that should be avoided. Fear of the dark is unfounded; fear of falling down the stairs in the dark is not.

So, what are the components that make up a good Self Defense course?

• They must be simple. Courses must be designed so that anyone attending regardless of experience or age has the ability to learn, demonstrate proficiency and retain what they have learned. Teaching complex techniques or skills that require a degree of technical expertise to employ are useless. In fact they are worse than useless as they provide participants with an exaggerated sense of self-confidence that can place students at risk when they try to apply these techniques in combat.
• They must be realistic. Course design must reflect the realities of what students will face in an actual attack. The facts are that most Self Defense courses aimed at a female target demographic do not reflect this. Students must be placed in an Adrenal Stress state and taught how to effectively channel the potentially harmful side effects of the “Freeze” response. Instructors must learn how to play “bad guy” and teach their students simple, effective and proven techniques that will allow even a small individual to incapacitate their attacker and escape. Attack scenario’s must likewise be realistic and reflect the ways in which attacks actually occur. Instructors must be sensitive to the emotional and psychological stresses placed on students during courses and be trained and prepared to deal with any problems that arise. Many women who have been previously assaulted attend courses as a part of the healing process. Untrained instructors can damage survivors due to the resultant lack of knowledge and training.
• They must be holistic and reflect the needs of each individual. Self Defense courses must also cover Personal Safety and how to reduce your risk of becoming a potential victim of crime. The best Self Defense is always to avoid a bad situation in the first place. Self Defense courses should also not be “cookie cutter” programs. Each student must be treated as an individual and their strengths/weaknesses examined to provide them with the best possible training experience.  
• Instructors must be trained and experienced. Unfortunately being a great martial arts instructor does not qualify anyone to teach Self Defense. As previously mentioned, combat skills are only a small part of what a well designed Personal Safety and Self Defense program should contain. Women should enquire as to the course syllabus and training structure. Ask about the instructor’s background, not only in his/her combat training but also about their experience teaching Personal Safety. A detailed working knowledge of Personal Safety and Personal Security is essential to teaching students how to keep themselves safe. Students should also enquire about the instructor’s real world experience. Are they working from theory, or have they actually used and employed the techniques they teach to keep themselves safe? Have they been trained to deal with Sexual Assault Trauma Syndrome, or how to work with women who have been victims of violence?
• They must make sense. Programs that purport to teach women how to defend themselves from attack must make sense. Programs must be immediately applicable to the participant’s life and easily incorporated in order to be of any value. They must reflect current trends in law enforcement, and social theory and be based upon sound scientific principles. Far too often courses are merely a hodgepodge of techniques thrown together as a means to generate income with no real thought given to the fact that it just doesn’t work in reality. Student’s must ask a lot of pointed questions and do their homework prior to signing up for a class to be able to accurately identify the best course for them.

So, back to the question; why should you take a Self Defense course? Police statistics provide a very eloquent reason.

·         50% of women when attacked will avoid becoming victimized with no training whatsoever.

·         Your odds increase to 75% of survival with strong verbal boundaries and Personal Safety training.

·         Your odds increase to over 90% by having both strong verbal boundary skills and professional Self Defense/Personal Safety training.

Take the time to invest in your safety and security. Personal Safety and Self Defense are like insurance for your car. You don’t buy insurance with the thought that you will have an accident. Personal Safety and Self Defense are very similar, you learn to defend yourself with the hope that you never have to. However it is better to have these skills and never need them, than to need them and not have them.

Kerry Sauve

The word Gang causes a great deal of controversy and fear every time it is uttered. There is a great deal of myth and misconception about just what is a gang, how they recruit/operate and the danger they pose to our society, our families and children. Working with gang members for a great number of years, I’ve watched as they have become more sophisticated and violent as time has passed. What was once given short shrift or ignored as an anomaly is now recognized as an incredibly complex problem, not only for law enforcement but for our society as a whole. This article is a good starting point for parents and youth who want to see the truth about what gangs are, and are not.

When we hear the term “Gang” it conjures images of drugs, bullet ridden bodies, money and fear. The reality is; gangs are not new. In fact there is documented evidence of gang related activity going back as far as 1400-1500 AD. What is changing is the increased communications and cooperation on joint criminal ventures between gangs that would traditionally be at war or in competition for the same drug territory. Expertise and even technology are shared in an attempt to evade law enforcement and increase the bottom line. If it’s beginning to make gangs sound more than just a little like a business, it’s because they are. The only difference is that their products are crime, fear and death.

When you take a close look at how many gangs operate, patterns begin to emerge. Gangs want the same thing as any corporation. They want to grow and expand in their territory/target niche. Profit is the bottom line and ruthless business tactics are often employed in the name of gaining a competitive edge. To further the corporate analogy, gangs also use brand recognition and targeted advertising to reach their target demographic. Every gang member I’ve ever known describes himself as a “businessman”.

We won’t be discussing the different types of gangs in this article. That’s a whole separate discussion and best left for another time. Nor will we examine the complex social problems that allow gangs to flourish. These issues are far too large to explore in one article and are best digested in small doses. Instead in this article we will examine some risk factors for young people being targeted for recruitment or victimization by gang members and the some of the myths and misconceptions that abound with this topic in general.

Young people become involved in gangs for a lot of different reasons; a sense of belonging, family/friends involved in gang lifestyle, money, protection, etc. The point is; everyone is potentially vulnerable to or affected by gangs on some level. As parents we need to recognize the potential warning signs of attempted recruitment and acknowledge that while we can’t reduce all of the risk factors in our children’s lives, but we can give them enough resiliencies to deal with the problems when/if the time comes.

Parents always ask how they will know if their children are becoming involved with gangs. You will notice changes in their behavior and interactions with family, authority and society in general. Some of the changes that parents would notice immediately would include;

* Sudden changes in friends
* Change in appearance
* Disrespect for authority
* Withdraws from family activity
* Desire for excessive privacy
* Staying out all night
* Extravagant spending beyond explainable income
* Having unusually large amounts of cash
* Begins using gang related slang, graffiti, hand signs
* Unexplained cell phones or pagers
* Drugs or weapons found in their rooms/bags

I think it’s important to note that these indicators are not definitive. I know a lot of teens who display several of these identifiers and are no more affiliated to criminal gang activity than I am. What these warning flags should do however is alert parents/teachers and anyone working with youth that there is a potential for recruitment/association if early intervention does not occur. There are other risk factors that cannot be controlled such as;

* Living in a “High Risk” neighborhood
* Socially isolated
* Living in poverty
* Recent immigrant
* Sex (most gang members are male, however female membership is on the rise)
* Early exposure to violence or substance abuse
* Limited opportunities for training or employment
* Limited education

For every risk there are also resiliency factors. Resiliency is the product of a set of influences and circumstances that would pre-dispose youth away from negative lifestyle choices. Strong family ties, involvement in organized activities and strong adult role models and community involvement can go a long way to helping young people keep from becoming involved in gangs and other negative activities. It’s important for parents to realize that in many ways they are the ones on the front lines in the war on gang/criminal activity.

There are a great number of myths and misconceptions around gang culture. Some of them are loosely based in reality, but utilized by gangs to increase recruitment and perpetuate the fear/respect and “silence through intimidation” they need to operate. One of the biggest myths is;

1. Gangs will protect me from my enemies. The facts would indicate otherwise. It is physically impossible for any gang to protect their members 24/7. The United States Secret Service spends billions of dollars and has tens of thousands of agents to protect a very small number of individuals. Gangs, no matter how much money they are making from the sales of drugs and other criminal acts have neither the financial resources, the training, nor will to protect a lowly foot soldier on the street. Replacing them when they are killed or incarcerated is easy. Finding and training a new foot soldier is a much more cost effective business decision than paying lawyers. Secondly your risk of death increases dramatically when compared with actuarial tables of youth not involved in gangs. A police officer well known for his expertise in these matters summed it up beautifully. He said; “The moment you join a gang, you automatically gain one hundred new enemies you never even knew you had.”  Gangs also rule by fear and intimidation of their own members. This means that in addition to the risk of being kidnapped, assaulted or killed by rival gangs; gang members often face the same risks from their own group.

2. Joining a gang will give me respect. This is one of the most common misconceptions in gang culture. When gangs talk about respect what they really mean is fear; “Respect is earned and always there. Fear is generally present only when the object of the fear is nearby. Fear often coincides with hate. It is the power of illusion.”  We need to understand and convey to our young people that they are not the same things. Gangs must rule by fear in order to maintain their control over a very competitive drug market and other crime related activity. If their enemies don’t respect/fear them, then their drug markets will be taken over and their runners “jacked” and assaulted. If their members don’t respect/fear them, then they could potentially rip off the gang by running independent operations and skimming profits. Let’s face it; one of the best ways to control a violent criminal is to be a bigger and more violent criminal yourself.

3. Gang members are my friends. Over the years I’ve come to know a lot of young people involved in gangs. Many of them had friends and family involved in the gang lifestyle. Unfortunately many of them are also dead, or know a lot of other young people who are. Although there is the perceived loyalty to the gang and its members it is always interesting to note that the loyalty only goes one way. An average gang member who is working as a runner/soldier for any gang is not making a lot of money. Don’t let all of the cash you see them being arrested with confuse you. That money is the proceeds of crime and the property of the gang’s hierarchy. Foot soldiers no more get to keep the proceeds of their criminal activities than the salesman at car dealership gets to keep the money for the sale of a new BMW. In fact those arrested are likely on the hook and fined by the gang for the loss of the drugs and money. Gang members are paid a salary like any other employee; they just get the added privilege of needing to wear body armor to work and going to jail and/or being shot at as a condition of their employment. Secondly if gangs are so loyal to their members, how come they never seem to use any of the millions that they are making on drug sales to get incarcerated members the best lawyers possible?

4. I will be at the top someday. Realistically there is next to no possibility of this happening. An average foot soldier would likely have no opportunity to become the leader of a large gang. In order for this to happen it would involve surviving; the street, jail, internal dissent, rival gangs, etc. Then potential leader would actually require some business acumen and organizational talent, because as mentioned previously gangs are in the business of making money period. They are just involved in a huge array of criminal offences and operations to fulfill this goal. The facts are that sometimes gangs are controlled by larger criminal organizations much as a subsidiary company would be controlled by a large corporation. They have the ability to engage in independent action, but the overall organizational vision is determined by the more powerful entity (Organized Crime).

5. I can’t get out now that I’m in. Not all gang members are created equal. Don’t get me wrong, gangs are a huge problem and need to be dealt with. We can’t treat every gang member like they are the head of a Triad and spend inordinate amounts of money protecting society from them after they have caused untold damage to people’s lives. It is counterproductive, costly and mostly ineffective. Most gang members are not members of the leadership or upper management whose knowledge of the groups operations and intelligence would make them a liability to the gang should they attempt to leave. Most gang members are foot soldiers who are involved in the day to day operation of a small part of the organization as a whole and likely not in possession of any knowledge that could seriously damage the gang’s leadership or operations. Many times gang members simply walk away with no repercussions whatsoever.

In other articles we will explore the world of gangs and gang culture and look at topics such as;

* Types of gangs/gangsters from wanna-be to made men, and hate groups to crime syndicates.
* The gang/money connection.
* Graffiti vs. gang graffiti and how to tell the difference.
* Colors and tattoos what do they mean?
* Gang initiations and exiting.
* Rising through the ranks.
* Gangs and the internet.
* Girls in gangs.
* Community mobilization and education.
* Intelligence lead policing.
* Why tougher anti-gang laws are not working.
* What we can do to help lessen the risk and take back our communities.

In the meantime, take the initiative to find out what resources are available in your community and avail yourself of their time and experience in educating yourself on this issue. Believe it or not what you don’t know can hurt you. There is a lot of excellent free literature available online to give you an overview of general information on this subject. Talk to you children about the dangers of gangs and know their friends. Know who/where they are hanging out and any potentially dangerous areas to avoid. Educate yourself and your children on Personal Safety and basic Self Defense and teach them how to reduce as much risk in their lives as possible. The best you can do is provide them with as much Resiliency as possible and hope that it can outweigh the risk.


Kerry Sauve