Marc MacYoung

Safety Doesn't Have To Be Scary Marc MacYoung

Ever watch a horror movie where a character ignores the advice you yell at the screen? You shout, "Don't!" but the person goes to investigate in the creepy basement where the light suddenly doesn't work, and spooky music plays in the background. Those are known danger signs in movies. Crime and violence have clues that are just as obvious-if you know how to recognize them. This book is about you not walking into dangerous situations. It's not a self-defense book; it's about nonviolent responses that will keep you safe. Think of it as "ways to avoid crime and violence without having to resort to force." For most people-by the time things become physical-it's too late. A far more reliable safety strategy is informed, preemptive action to prevent violence. It's also something anyone can do: -Sometimes it's outsmarting bad guys.-Other times it's not angering people.-Often it is knowing how to behave in certain environments.-And it involves developing simple habits that warn you of danger early on.-But most of the time it's knowing when to leave. Staying safe from crime is easy. Better yet crime avoidance has very little impact on your life. Violence itself can be a little more complicated. Most violence happens between people who know each other. It occurs because of pride, emotion, and behavior. In a potentially violent situation between two people-you are fifty percent of the equation. That's not blame-it's power. And it's a power you can use to prevent violence or provoke it. The choices are yours as are the consequences. The first two purposes of this book are recognition and avoidance. A third is to help you after you've had your sense of safety shattered by crime or violence (or coming back from overseas). Once you know what real danger signs are you don't need the stress of hyper-vigilance or a trauma-driven response to situations that aren't physically dangerous. It's not enough to feel safe-together we'll keep you safe.