SAS Urban Survival Handbook (94 page)

REMEMBER

The law allows you to use reasonable force to defend yourself (using some of the simple techniques and improvised weapons outlined later).

You may NOT carry weapons for self-defence. In Britain ‘mace’ sprays are illegal—but there are lots of other things you can do.

If you are raped/sexually assaulted

Seek medical attention as soon as possible. Even though it may be difficult to restrain yourself, do NOT wash or change your clothes until you have been examined. DON’T have an alcoholic drink or a sedative. Try to get a friend to accompany you.

REMEMBER

In some countries, including Britain, your anonymity is usually protected and your sex life should not be the subject of open discussion in court. In the case of rape by a friend or relative it is NOT necessary to go as far as prosecution. A court order can ban the offender (even your husband) from having further contact with you.

There are rape crisis centres in most cities which will help victims through what is generally considered to be the ordeal of giving statements, being examined and questioned.

There is no doubt the police should be involved, but many cases of rape involving friends, husbands of friends or members of the family may have devastating repercussions on many lives when the truth is discovered. Needless to say, many cases of rape go unreported for this reason. Women may live for years in emotional torment and may have physical injuries which should be treated immediately. Never forget that sooner or later you may need to be examined for pregnancy or sexually-transmitted diseases.

MEN AS VICTIMS

Men may also be victims of assault, domestic violence or violent sexual assault. The aggressors may be other men or women. So rarely are these crimes reported fully that investigations are rare and statistics very hazy. Many cases involve more than one aggressor and weapons. Tragically for the victims, most cultures do not even accept the idea of male rape. Evidence does suggest that the same sort of attack scenarios occur as for female rape and that the physical and emotional damage may be just as devastating.

MULTIPLE ATTACKERS

It is virtually impossible for anyone to cope with more than one attacker at a time. You will be overpowered easily. If you can fight, try to hurt the ‘ringleader’—if he goes down the others may hesitate, giving you the chance to escape.

Keep moving—don’t let anyone hold you. Use your natural weapons and look for anything you can use. Shout for help. Shout for someone to ring the police. Try to run to a busy area.

It may make the attackers give up if you fall to the ground and go limp, especially if you are middle-aged or elderly and they think you have had a ‘heart attack’.

If all they want is your money—give it to them. You may escape without injury.

CAUGHT IN A CROWD

When a crowd panics, or is angry, it can be extremely dangerous. You may be a part of the crowd, and its mood may change—especially true of sports spectators. You may visit a part of the city, unaware that a political demonstration is taking place. The main dangers are falling to the ground and being trampled, or of being crushed as the crowd presses in.

Danger areas

Avoid crowds where there may be a risk of unrest or take extra precautions to minimize risks at sporting events (indoors or outdoors), political demonstrations, large queues, industrial disputes. Crowds are usually well managed, but if the road narrows or there are steps or obstructions, try to get away. Any large body of people, in a rock concert, a cinema, a theatre or a sports stadium can be dangerous if panic breaks out for any reason—a fire or a fight, perhaps.

Be prepared

When you arrive at a large event, look for the safest exit route—indoors or outdoors. Stay away from the centre of large crowds. Near the stage or a barrier, you may be crushed if the crowd surges forwards. If there is no obvious exit, look for a safe haven—under stairs in a stadium, under the stage.

Indoors, the way you came in may not be the best way out. Don’t leave with the main crowd, especially if ‘rival’ spectators will mingle as they leave—hang behind or leave early. If leaving a sporting event, beware of displaying the colours of either team.

If you live near a sports venue, memorize the least popular routes taken by visiting crowds to and from public transport.

If you cannot avoid contact

Don’t panic. Keep calm. Gradually edge your way out of the crowds. At all costs—stay on your feet. Don’t let the crowd push you towards windows, walls, pillars or steps.

Either fold your arms, with your elbows drawn in tightly, or held out in front of you to create a space. In a tight crush, the danger is that you may overbalance if you can’t reposition your feet under your centre of gravity as the crowd surges.

It may be worth trying to hold onto an immovable object, to resist the flow of the crowd.

If you fall

Curl yourself tightly into a ball. Pull your head to your knees and keep your hands clasped round it. Crawl or wriggle, if you can, to the base of an obstruction such as a car or a tree where the crowd must separate—or at the base of a wall.

Driving in a crowd

If you are approaching a large crowd on a bicycle or motorcycle or in a car—stop and change direction immediately. If you are engulfed, when in a car, turn off the engine. Lock doors and windows. There is a danger that members of the crowd may climb onto your car, break the windows or even try to turn the car over. If you have a chance, leave the car and head for safety.

HIGH-RISK GROUPS

Attack and assault, whatever the motive, will always rely on the assumed vulnerability of the victim—and some groups have always been seen as easy targets. According to statistics, children, young people, women and old people all fall into the high-risk bracket. So whilst the preceding advice applies to more or less everyone, there are other important factors which should be taken into consideration by the more vulnerable.

CHILDREN

Children are at risk both from adults and other children. Most people have difficulty explaining their problems: young children may find it even more difficult to tell someone that they have been a victim of some forms of abuse or violence. They may not understand that the abuse or violence is unusual.

• ◑ Encourage children to report whatever happens to them—bullying, encounters with strangers (especially if these encounters happen more than once).
  
• ◑ Encourage children to say NO to strangers.
  
• ◑ Children must NOT approach a car when it stops, even if the driver only asks directions.
  

  REMEMBER
  

  A child or young person may find it particularly difficult to talk about or describe violent cruelty or sexual abuse – through fear (from threats by the perpetrator), through embarrassment or through fear of not being believed. Statistically, children and young people are more likely to be abused by a close relative or a family friend – which can make dealing with the problem extremely difficult.
  

  Abuse can affect the quality of a person’s life in later years. It needs to be dealt with very carefully – usually with the help of specialist counsellors. Actual intercourse is not as common as various forms of sexual assault. There may be no physical proof.
  

  If you are a victim of abuse, you MUST talk to someone – a teacher, a Samaritan, a telephone helpline. An anonymous phone call – even to the police or the Samaritans – may help you find a special helpline or counselling organization.
  

  If, as a parent, you are told of abuse it may be difficult to deal with – particularly if your partner is implicated. Most counsellors believe that the safety of the victim is of the highest priority, but will not underestimate the impact that the disclosure may have on the family.
  

• ◑ Children should be encouraged to believe that THEY own their bodies and it is their right not to be kissed or touched if it upsets them. They MUST tell you if someone upsets them in this way, even if it’s a relative.
  
• ◑ Children must NOT accept lifts from strangers.
  
• ◑ If a child is bullied, he/she should tell you.
  
• ◑ Tell the child that if a bully demands money or possessions, they should hand things over and you won’t be angry—but they must tell you about it.
  
• ◑ Explain that they can hit, kick or scream at a stranger who wants them to do something with them or take them somewhere, even if the stranger offers sweets.
  

YOUNG PEOPLE

You may not like having to be home at a certain time—or always having to tell your parents where you are—but if you find yourself stuck without the means to get home, or get into other difficulties, how can they help you?

If you go out on your own, use your common sense while out on the streets (see
On the streets
). If you can afford a taxi to get home, ONLY use a registered taxi. Don’t accept lifts from ‘mini-cabs’ or people you don’t really know.

Tell your parents where you are going. If, for any reason, you can’t get home, call them. It isn’t just so that they don’t worry—if you are attacked or left unconscious, where are they supposed to look for you?

If you answer an advertisement in a shop window/a local newspaper for Saturday jobs or babysitting, always take a friend with you. A parent would have to be a little careless if they will accept you, a total stranger, as a babysitter. Most babysitting is arranged through friends of your family.

If you are babysitting, don’t tell callers (on the phone or at the door) that you are alone. Don’t let anyone into the house. Phone home during the evening to let your parents know that everything is OK.

REMEMBER

You are as much at risk of abuse or attack as any child or adult. Some adults may think you are a child and an easy target. Show them you are not. Don’t be fooled by offers of lifts or work that seem too good to be true. You have to start thinking for yourself. When in doubt, stick with friends and don’t move around the city on your own.

WOMEN

Women, more than men, may find themselves victims of verbal annoyance, sexual harassment or physical molestation at work or in public places.

HANDS OFF!

If you are subjected to physical ‘groping’ – it may be worth considering a few ways of dealing with it. Most methods rely on knowing EXACTLY who the perpetrator is – or else you may be accused of assault! You need to be feeling fairly confident to use most of these responses:

• ■
  Move in such a way as to dislodge the hand which is touching you and give the molester an angry look. Be sure it IS an angry look.
  
• ■
  Say clearly, but only loud enough to be heard by people in the immediate vicinity, ‘Please move your hand away from me’. The usual response is embarrassment – the molester may try to plead innocence.
  
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  If you are not sure who the molester is in a crowd, and you are getting upset, use a louder voice and say, ‘I would like whoever is touching me to move their hand away NOW’.
  
• ■
  If you are sure who the molester is – stand on their foot. A heel is good for this. If you hurt them (slightly) plead innocence and apologize.
  
• ■
  Pinch the skin on the back of the molesting hand—a small amount squeezed between two fingernails should do the trick.
  
• ■
  Adjust your bag or your clothing—make a fuss, move around quite a lot and dislodge the hand roughly.