How To Deter Physical Predators

Get Comfortable

Everyone likes to look good but, if looking ‘good’ comes at a cost, it’s time to re-evaluate. Remember to be authentic to you and aware to the fact that trends always fade. That being said, wear comfortable clothing that allows your body to move freely, as it deserves & don’t keep yourself harnessed. Everyone wants to feel the gaze of another, but keep in mind that the beholder is not always the person they strain (pretend) to be. That being said, be ready for any circumstance and dress appropriately for unfortunate instances you could potentially encounter. I am not asking for you to put on something you think looks like a garbage bag, or to worry about potential circumstances. I am simply asking for you to BE AWARE of how you present yourself. You can still enjoy your frame and change the matte.

No Eye Contact, No Acknowledge

If you give eye contact, you are giving the receiver permission to enter your world… this is YOUR DECISION. I am encouraging that everyone pays close attention to who they invite into their world by simply ignoring people they feel a negative ‘sense’ about. If you feel that the person could warrant concern, your first instinct is to look at them and see if you can note any particular physical appearance about them to report. Do not do that at this time, you are still being observed yourself, you can try later (if the person is still pursuing you). For now, the main focus is to not draw attention to yourself by pretending that they do not exist at all. Remember the saying: "If you do not have anything good to say, don’t say anything at all," the same applies with eyes meeting.

Be Involved With Someone Else

This helps detract a lot of predators because they assume you have a protector. Simply, light up your phone. I understand that not everyone has data on their phone, I have been there, even if you are not able to turn on your phone because it has died or has no data, hold it up to your ears and remember the last conversation you had with one of your loved ones and rehearse your responses aloud. This is amazing to do because when I didn’t have connection and had a dead phone, I did it myself and it works like a charm, most people do not want to interrupt an ongoing conversation, even for a misdeed against you. So, if you cannot contact SOMEONE, you can pretend like you are in contact, and that acts an instant ‘turn-off’ to the person thinking of you in an objectifying way.

Find Security

If you can, call 911 NOW. Call a loved one. If the predator is still pursuing you, please find a way to connect with someone via phone, and do it now. It is imperative that you give the person you are calling as much information as possible, but remember to speak calmly so that they can clearly understand what you are saying. I understand that it is more than difficult to do so when you are in a crisis circumstance, but take a deep breath and try your best to clearly communicate and DO NOT WAIT. That being said, if you have no way of getting in contact with anyone you know, go to a 24/7 fast-food restaurant or an ATM under-hang at a bank. These places are highly secured (and sometimes still open). Even if the facility is closed, seek these locations out and find a camera to be recorded and time stamped.

Go A Different Direction

Once you notice the predator’s intrusion, immediately head to the right or left of where you were initially going and NOT in the opposite direction (as this will set off alarms in the predator's head), do so without hesitation. To the predator, this will mean that you are going to a future destination and nearly in the presence of who you belong to. Their interaction with you will end soon if they do not change their direction as well, making it a higher probability of being ‘spotted’ by you (the victim). This will help you keep safe and will give control back to you. No longer will you simply be a victim, but you show capabilities of making your own decisions without being deterred. I encourage you, even if these decisions are against your ‘norm,’ and you are learning your surroundings as you go. Change your patterns (i.e. If you are running away, run in a zig-zag pattern and seek physical cover of any sort each time you change direction, this will exhaust your predator because the journey is longer and harder to track, which can tire and bore the adversary, keeping you in control).

Stay in Light, Face Oncoming Traffic

Walk on the sidewalk facing oncoming traffic, so that you will not be taken advantage of what is behind you. This may also help if a driver is inebriated, potentially hitting you from behind. Be aware of your surroundings. Stay in well lit areas & close to stores you think are being surveilled, that way you are harder to take advantage of. If you cannot find a well lit area or a camera, find the darkest place possible, take cover, and wait at least 1-5 minutes before moving (while paying close attention to the sounds around you). If you hear a person pursuing you, move quickly as far as you can, without physically exhausting yourself and take cover once more. Be sure to dodge between inanimate objects, hindering the potential attacker from physically spotting you.

Experience Comfort Within Yourself

You know, but they do not. Take advantage of this! Act like you are not thrown by their presence, the more attention you give to them, the more interest they will gain. Act like you are carefree and you are simply ignoring them; as if you are the parent of a child whining the hundredth time about the newest toy they want, YOU KNOW & they will not get this ‘toy’. I have found this to be the best determinant and potentially the most effective. You will hear this again, the less attention you fain to give them, the less likely they are to act offensively against you. If the predator is mentally unstable, however, your absence could play into becoming more attractive, and the person will attempt to persuade you; this is due to the fact they were given attention to begin with, it is not your fault and you are loved, this person however cannot love you because they do not see how amazing you truly are and only appreciate themselves (see your way out), remember that your time is the most precious time in the world.

Go Up or Down

Change the level to make it a literal ‘uneven playing field.’ That being said, change the ground level on which you stand, keep note to not entrap yourself in an enclosed structure like an elevator or up a stairwell that leads to a dead end; map out your surroundings and keep a full visual at all times. If you can see them, they can see you but if you can get far enough away from them or change the stance from which you stand, you can cause them to refocus, giving yourself a chance to evaluate the situation and to take note of the person that is pursuing you (try to remember every important detail for a potential police report). REMINDER: If they are in a vehicle, make note of the make, model, year, and license plate of the potential assailant.

Keep Clear of Visual Sightings

Duck and keep covered. If a person has a weapon in their possession, think about how safe you can make your body. Be aware of what is available to target 100% around you and make yourself scarce. Make yourself appear as small as possible, this deters threats because you are harder to aim at. You are valuable and you do not have time to endure their attention any further, get away as fast as possible and into a place that is to be considered a boulder between you and your adversary. You will overcome, but you should be aware of your appearance from a 360 degree angle, which means to watch your back as much as you watch your front.

Act Deaf, Play Dead

As cliché as it sounds, no one wants to try to kill anything that is already dead. It feels boring and unfulfilling. On this note, it is also easy to presume no one wants to talk if they don’t feel like they will be heard. A simple act of focusing on something else like an item, an atmosphere, a higher thought process does the victim well in this scenario. Remember, even though they are trying to victimize you, you are not the problem, they are. Think about how you felt the last time you were neglected, this is the same feeling you should try to insinuate on your encounters with a predator. The other person should know that they are NOT a priority and never could be.

Thank you for reading this, if you found this article helpful or you would like to add additional insight, I would love to read what you have to share! Remember to take great care and to value yourself. Thank you once more, and I'll see you on the flip side! If you have been a victim due to a family or friend, firstly I have the greatest of empathy for you. However, this article is not for you, this is for encounters with 'strangers' and people that may think they know you but are from a distance.