People victimized by predators fail to pass a series of "tests" the attacker uses to determine whether they will be good targets, and most victims fail to listen to an inner voice that warns of trouble.
Stacey Wardwell, a violence prevention instructor, told an audience of mostly women at BYU Education Week today that a study of victims assaulted by predators showed every one of them had failed to listen to an inner voice that warned them something was wrong before the attack occurred.
The basic assault pattern a predator uses involves three steps: he looks for a target, tests the target, then attacks, Wardwell said. Women are more vulnerable targets than men and have to protect their bodies as well as their possessions.
To make themselves less of a target, she said, women must:
Be alert to what is happening around them.
Be smart in how they dress — don't seek to attract attention.
Make good safety choices like locking car doors, parking under a light and getting a friend to accompany them.
Avoid being isolated and accessible.
Project confidence.
If feeling threatened, look the predator in the eye, because eye contact denotes confidence and personal power.
Though women may be targets, they don't have to be victims, she said.
"Predators are looking for someone they perceive as weak. ... You don't have to always be scared or think something will happen, just realize that it could and take precautions."
If confronted, the best response is to simply walk or run away, Wardwell said.
"Demeanor is huge — you must look like you're alert. Predators will pick someone they can take by surprise and get control of quickly."
One study shows that assertive body language was a factor that led to the elimination of prospective victims.
"Predators will test you by violating your boundaries, either verbally, with a graduated threat, or physically," Wardwell said. "They may say something extremely vulgar because they want you to freeze. Don't give them that power."
Verbal threats of harm test a woman's reaction in order for the predator to decide whether to proceed with the assault, she said. One woman who was confronted by a man with a knife in a parking lot heard him say, "I'm going to kill you." Meant to shock her into submission, she turned the tables by replying instantly, "If you do, I'll kill you right back." That was enough to deter the attack.
Above all, she said, women must make sure they don't let an attacker take them to another location where they can gain total control. When an attacker initially shows a weapon and makes demands, women must "react immediately, drop everything, do everything to prevent him from moving you to another location. Resist, fight for your life and don't give up."
Simply running away dramatically improves a woman's chance to survive an attack, she said. "At 9 feet away, if they shoot they'll only hit you four in 100 times. Their intention usually is not simply to shoot you, and you must expect the worst from the beginning."
Women often fear what will happen if they don't comply with an attacker's demands, when they should be most concerned about what will happen if they do comply. "If you allow him to take you to a private place, the odds go from 'it could happen' to 'it will happen."'
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