Kamal Pant and Satish S. Babu debates on women security in Bangalore.
City will be safer if all work together -- Kamal Pant
We can never have a readymade response to such situations. But the most important thing is to maintain your cool and have the presence of mind to understand the criminal confronting you. The first step should be looking for an escape. If you are cornered in a lonely place try to get away. If you cannot and if the odds are against you, it is better to be on the defensive for your own safety.
But that does not mean, that people should give in to every bully. Even armies plan their moves based on the strength of their opponents. Engaging and diverting the attention of the perpetrator of the crime should give the victim enough time to gather himself or herself to address the situation. Analysing and understanding a situation is most crucial for self-preservation. If you see that a person can be a danger to your well being it is better to be on the defensive.
Passersby too need to show empathy in such situations. People in cities often like to look the other way even if they see something suspicious. But the city can be made safer if everyone works together. If the public is both vigilant and active such miscreants can be easily dealt with. But in the final analysis self-preservation is the best offence and defense.
Basic training in self-defence can help -- Satish S. Babu
The brutal assault of a woman in broad daylight at an ATM has once again raised the issue of women’s security in the city. What stands out in this particular case is the stiff
resistance she put up in the face of her attacker.
Unfortunately for her, she wasn’t prepared to deal with such an unexpected encounter. True, putting up a fight may not be the most tenable course of action always, but with even basic training in self-defence a lot of culprits can be overpowered or be chased away at the least. A knack to convert an ordinary object into a weapon of defence can also help. Who knows what the outcome of the situation would have been if the woman in this case was carrying a pepper spray can.
An attack can spring from nowhere, so the most important advice would be to stay alert at all times. Avoiding certain places and streets might seem like a cop-out, but sometimes the call for self-preservation needs to be heeded. That said, if everyone starts backing down from these criminals, who are
nothing but bullies, they will thrive and end up making more lives miserable.
( Source : dc )
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