The following is an excerpt taken from Tashida Kom’s guide, Self-Defense Tactics 101.

Underestimating Your Attacker: A Fatal Mistake

Always expect the unexpected when it comes to an assailant, and never underestimate the actions a person will take in order to hurt you. Being lulled into a false sense of security or dismissing potentially threatening behavior can be a deadly miscalculation.

In most cases, you will see some indicator that a person intends to do you harm. This may start with a vocal cue, threatening posture, or a physical advance in your direction. While a surprise attack is possible, being aware of your surroundings can often prevent such a circumstance.

The biggest failure in a self-defense scenario is not identifying that an attack is about to take place. The second critical failure is underestimating an opponent when engaging them in combat.

You must assume that any encounter can be life-threatening. What does not kill you may maim you for life or leave you severely scarred.

Never drop your guard!

Make your defenses such that you give your opponent no openings. Do not stop fighting until your opponent is incapable of inflicting harm upon you. Always opt to safely flee if the possibility exists, otherwise do everything in your power to neutralize your attacker.

Be aware, even if your assailant is rendered unconscious, there is no telling how long it may take until they revive—always assume it will be sooner than you expect.

Danger Zone One. Story by Midnight. Art by Salaiix.