Safe at Home

Many people don’t really consider self-defense. They have the “it won’t happen here, or it won’t happen to me because (fill in the blank). Some who do mildly consider it have taken a one-day seminar, had some Tae Kwon Do as a kid, or lift weights and think it’s enough. Even the ones who take self-defense to higher levels think in terms of what might happen outside their home. Most violent interactions do take place in public. However, the statistics for burglary and home invasions have been on the rise. One in five homes is just as likely to experience a robbery or home invasion as they are a fire or carbon monoxide poisoning.

Home invasion for the most part starts as robbery that turns violent when the person or persons living in the home are home discovered. That robbery can and sometimes does turn into rape and murder. Criminals are educating themselves. They’re learning what entry techniques have the greatest chance of working and they’re better prepared should they find someone in the home. Gang activity is turning to home invasions for quick profits, and they are less concerned about stepping up the felony charges to rape and murder.

What does this mean for you? It means you should educate yourself to become less of a target. Following some simple steps, adding some inexpensive hardware to your entry points, and becoming more aware of what intruders look for in a target and how to deter them from attempting entry.

You might hit the gym, train martial arts, carry and train with a gun, pepper spray, taser, or whatever it is you’re comfortable with, good! All these are excellent for self-defense. Now do the same for your home where you are most comfortable and least aware of dangers. Think about cameras, motion-sensing lights, locks, door armor, perimeter sensors, and security systems. Like your fire alarms and carbon monoxide detectors, they serve as a passive defense. They’re tools that once installed and used properly and a good barrier to entry from intruders. The active stuff is creating response plans, these plans should include more than just intruder scenarios, but cover first aid, storm sheltering, loss of power, and more. You change (or should be) changing the batteries in your smoke detectors regularly, likewise, you should rehearse with the tools you have for self-defense and home security regularly.

 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. Matthew 7:25

Deter, Detect, Deny