Every methodology of personal safety is based on reducing and/or eliminating someone’s intent and/or means and/or opportunity to do you (or someone else) harm. How this result is achieved varies depending upon the specific factors involved.
The resources on this page refer to engaging in self-protection through the use of the following seven primary ways:
- Change Others – Modifying the attitudes and social norms of society in order to reduce predatory behavior.
- By-Proxy – Using bystander intervention and policing agents provide the means of your personal safety and security.
- Mitigation – Reducing negative consequences by dealing with the aftermath of an assault.
- Avoidance – Engaging in strategies and tactics to not encounter, evade, or escape potential assailants and current assailants.
- Negotiation – Engaging in various verbal tactics and strategies including submission to dissuade an impending assault.
- Deterrence – Engaging in posturing, the threat of force, and other strategies and tactics to discourage a potential assault.
- By-Force – The use of force without the use of weapons.
NOTE: In the same way that Change Others, By-Proxy, and Mitigation are related and overlap, so are Avoidance, Negotiation, Deterrence, and By-Force related and overlap.