This is a very common question that arises in self-defense classes. Should you resist and try to fight off your attacker, or give them what they want in hopes that they won’t hurt you?
During a crisis, there’s always a huge spike in crime- particularly violent ones (sexual and not). And once effective law enforcement is out of the picture, you are your only line of defense.
There are some women who believe that they’d rather submit to rape rather than try to fight off their attacker because they don’t wish to aggravate the assailant and worsen their situation.
This gives rise to the question, “How much worse can it get?” You’re already being subjected to a heinous crime by some perverted individual. You’re going to be left with emotional scars for life. Is submitting really even an option?
In this article, we’ll look at a few points and see why resisting and fighting back is your ONLY option. Resistance is NOT futile.
Unpredictable Outcomes
Almost all crimes are unpredictable in nature. There was a real-life video of a man approaching a lady in a store while she was talking to the store assistant. He asked for money and the lady told him to get a job without even looking at him.
The man proceeded to stab her once in the side of her abdomen before casually walking out.
Does this sound like a situation where resistance was necessary? After all, it was just a guy asking for money without displaying any weapon.
The truth of the matter is that all crime can escalate at any given time. A mugging can turn into a killing; a home robbery can end in rape; rape can end in murder and so on.
In the heat of the moment, anything can happen. If someone asks you for money or your belongings, toss them on the ground and run off. If they’re after the money, they’ll likely pick the items up and not inflict any further damage.
However, if the criminal’s intentions are any form of physical violence, you only have one option: fight.
Victim or Victor
In any self-defense situation, you’re either the victim or the victor. Being a victor means you escape with your life intact- it means getting away from your assailant without being raped, killed, or otherwise severely harmed.
If the criminal tells you that no harm will come to you if you do what they say, it’s could simply be an attempt to lure you into a false sense of security. Very often, they’ll try to get you to follow them to a secondary, more secluded location where no one will come to your aid.
Once again, fighting back is your only option. This applies to both men and women, though a large percentage of these particular crimes are perpetrated against women.
Rapid Fire and Running
When we speak of fighting back, we mean rapid attacks designed to hurt or incapacitate your attacker long enough for you to escape. Most people make the mistake of thinking that they’ll be in a 3-minute MMA match with their attacker. Don’t make that mistake.
If you’re about to be attacked, a quick hard jab to your attacker’s neck can damage their trachea and cause them to choke for a couple of minutes. This is enough time for you to escape and find help from others.
Most criminals want an easy prey. They want someone who won’t resist or put up a fight. The moment you do, most of them quickly try to get away because it’s just not worth the hassle.
Do note- the best self-defense is running. This applies to males and females alike. Hit hard, hit fast, and run away while they’re down.
Guesswork and Injuries
One of the reasons most women do not fight back is because they assume that if they give in, things won’t get any worse. Unfortunately, in most cases, the opposite holds true.
Studies have shown that the difference in injuries between women who did fight back and those who didn’t were a mere 2%. For the most part, the injuries between the two categories were about the same, and in many cases the assailant fled the scene when their target put up a fight, whereas the women who didn’t were still raped, beaten, and injured.
Even in the wild, a disadvantaged animal will flee for its life from a hunter much bigger and more powerful than itself. Even when it seems hopeless, self-preservation is instinct, and you know what we say: always trust your instincts.