Copyright 2002-2005
All Right Reserved.
Bellman Communications.
PROTECTING YOUR LIFE:
An Unwelcomed Intrusion Into Your Life
Written By
Professor David A. Bellman
"Give me your wallet or I'll beat the hell out of you," said the burly young man in his early twenties to the elderly man.
"Please, don't hurt me, I'm not a well man."
"Give me your damn money," screamed the young man as he belted the old man in the face, knocking him to the ground.
Suddenly the elderly gentleman found himself repeatedly being kicked in the ribs, the face, and the side of his head. Moments later, he was unconscious and laying in a pool of blood.
The young thug pulled the old man's wallet out of his rear pocket, laughing to himself, "Stupid old man!"
This type of intrusion into one's life is neither welcome nor expected. But it happens, and all too frequently. One must act in a prudent manner given the situation. If an attacker wants your purse or wallet, give it to him. No amount of money or personal possession is worth losing your life over.
Be alert to potential situations that could put you in danger. Several carjackings have occurred in gas stations. If you are confronted while in your car by a gun wielding carjacker, do what he or she says, and do it quickly. If you are told to get out of your car -- get out of it! Don't take a moment to remove anything from your glove compartment or reach into the back seat to retrieve a package that you just bought from the department store.
Several individuals in the past few months have argued with carjackers when confronted and have violently lost their lives. Still others have been too slow to respond to the verbal commands of the carjacker or attacker, and have met with fatal results.
Don't let this information scare you. Instead, let it be a lesson on how to stay alive. We pack earthquake preparedness kits to ready ourselves and our families for the big one, which we all expect sooner or later. We make sure that our spare tire is properly inflated in the event that we get a flat tire on the open road, so that we are able to safely get home. This is your personal safety survival kit for life on the streets of Los Angeles.
Report all crimes to your local police or sheriffs' department. According to the Los Angeles Police Department, officers can use information such as the frequency of crimes committed within a community, the time of day or night that the crimes are committed, descriptions of the persons committing the crimes as well as other valuable information to piece together patterns to help catch car thieves, rapists, and burglars as well as other perpetrators in the community.
Always lock your car, even if you will be out of your automobile for only a minute or two. Never assume that just because you lock your car door, someone can't be hiding in the back seat of your car.
Practice the art of awareness. When you leave your house, school, apartment, job, or a friend or relative's house, take a look at the situation around you. Does everything seem to be the way it should be? Do you feel uncomfortable in a particular situation? Why?
When you park your car and you know that you won't be returning to it until later in the evening, park near a lighted area, rather than one that will be dark when you are alone.
In social situations, be aware of distances. Try talking to a friend about any general subject of interest and, as you speak with them, move to within six inches of their face. You will notice the person starting to move back away from you. The reason for this is simple. In most instances, when you speak with a friend, you are usually about three to four feet away from them, a comfortable distance for normal one-on-one conversation. The only reason that a person gets within six inches of another person's faces is if they are being intimate, or if one person is telling the other a secret.
When you walk down the street, walk as though you know where you are going. Don't look like a victim.
Always lock the doors and windows of your home or apartment. When someone knocks on your door or rings your doorbell, use your peephole to identify them. Never open the door to a stranger without finding out some basic information about the person.
If a utility or repair person comes to your door, and you haven't called for repairs to be done, ask to see their identification. If it is a gas company person, for example, don't be afraid to ask for their name and employee identification number, and then call the utility and confirm that this person is who they say they are. Also, never let on that you are alone.
If you are single or live alone, you might consider listing only your first initial and last name in the telephone directory with your telephone number, and no address listing.
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The Valley Jujitsu School:
The VALLEY JUJITSU SCHOOL is located in Northridge, CA, in the heart of the San Fernando Valley. The VALLEY JUJITSU SCHOOL was established in 1993 and offers the MUSHIN RYU JUJITSU system. The program is self-defense oriented.
LOCATION:
VALLEY JUJITSU SCHOOL
8240 Louise Avenue (at Roscoe)
Northridge, CA 91325
Telephone: (818) 882-7022
Email:
valleyjujitsu@aol.com
