Action Against Violence

Survival Strategies For Women: The Profile of the Ideal Victim

A while back we chatted about the Profile of a Survivor and discussed The Twisted Psychology of a Stalker-Predator. Only natural, then, that we delve into some of the Key Characteristics Of the Victim Whom Predators Seek. My hope is that readers who identify some of these traits in themselves can begin the hard but necessary task of consciously changing any of these traits. I know it is going to be tough, but I also know it can be done. And, fact is, if you want to recreate yourself into a Hard Target, a target predators and stalkers avoid instead of seeking out, you really have little choice.

A Quick Note Here: According to the PPCT SHARP (Sexual Harassment Assault and Rape Prevention) Instructor Manual, there are four specific Personality Profiles Of Women. We have the Confrontational (a reputation of being hostile and aggressive); the Assertive (projects a high degree of self-esteem, self confidence, a woman who is rarely harassed or threatened); the Defensive (normally non-combative, who might be harassed or threatened, but only to a point. She will become highly protective, if pushed) and the Passive Personality.

It is, of course, the Passive woman who is the Ideal Target. She is naturally shy and meek in both her professional and personal environments. In essence, she allows herself to be victimized.

We are not going to talk fair here. Lord knows, it is not fair, but, short of resocializing every potential male harasser or attacker, let’s control what we can control. The Passive Personality. I ask that she takes inventory of what she does, what she wears, how she walks, what her eyes do, even what she says and how she says it. These are the necessary steps for her to Stop Being A Victim, and, instead, become a Hard Target.

VICTIM PROFILE: The Perfect Victim Predators Seek.

SHE WALKS “SCARED.” Eyes cast downward. Takes small steps, Walks in a “restricted/inward” gait. She is Unaware.
SHE HABITUALLY ALLOWS MEN TOO CLOSE without comment or protest.
SHE FAILS TO ABIDE BY HER “GUT INSTINCTS.” Gut feelings are hardly ever wrong. They warn women “something is wrong here. Get Out!”
SHE SCREAMS AND/OR RUNS LIKE A VICTIM. There is nothing but panic here. A Survivor emits a trained-yell to startle the attacker and runs tactically, using “barricades” in the environment. The Victim runs aimlessly, only tiring herself out.
SHE TRIGGERS THE PREDATOR-PREY-PRINCIPLE. Weird, but by averting her eyes, turning her back and running aimlessly, the victim liberates the Predator Instinct inside the Bad Guy, actually triggering adrenaline to charge him quicker, faster and more violently into action.
SHE LOOKS DOWN OR AWAY WHEN FIRST APPROACHED BY THE BAD GUY. Almost all attackers “test” victims just prior to an attack. Most likely it is part of a cat and mouse game. Likely, too, it is an “Interview” to determine if she is the victim-type who will not protest when her PSZ (Personal Safety Zone) is invaded. The last thing she wants to do is look away here.
SHE IS EASILY DISTRACTED when the Bad Guy asks her “testing” questions, like What Time is It? Where does the bus stop? Hey, don’t you work at so and so? She does exactly what the Bad Guy wants her to do, including looking at her watch, pointing at an object, or closing her eyes to think if she knows this dude or not.
SHE ENTERTAINS CONVERSATION DURING “THE INTERVIEW” with the potential assailant.
SHE THROWS OPEN THE DOOR OF HER HOUSE OR CAR WHEN A STRANGER KNOCKS OR APPROACHES.
SHE HAS ABSOLUTELY NO PLAN OF ACTION! SHE RARELY ASKS HERSELF THE QUESTION: WHAT WOULD I DO IF THIS OR THAT HAPPENS? TO WHERE WOULD I ESCAPE OR EVADE IF SUCH AND SUCH HAPPENS?
SHE IS ALWAYS DISTRACTED WHEN SHE IS FIRST GOING IN OR COMING OUT OF A BUILDING, CAR, HOUSE, OFFICE. Predators, Criminals, Stalkers almost always have a First In/First Out Attack Strategy!
WHEN INTERVIEWED BY POLICE AFTER AN ATTACK, SHE WILL NOT REMEMBER FROM WHERE DID THE ATTACKER APPROACH AND TO WHERE DID HE RUN AFTERWARDS (in other words, she is a victim in a large part because she is almost totally unaware).
WHEN FIRST GRABBED BY THE BAD GUY, SHE:

Ø IS Obsessed with the thoughts of her injury or death.

Ø Freezes.

Ø Holds Her breath.

Ø Says nothing or screams like a victim.

Ø Gives Up.

Ø Does Not Fight Back, or, if she does, is uncommitted to the fight and slaps fecklessly at the attacker with no targets in mind.

Ø She allows herself to be taken to a car and/or an isolated, secondary crime scene.

IN TRUTH, THIS WOMAN IS DEFEATED BEFORE THE ATTACK BEGINS!

Until next time, Stay Safe.

Hammer

A while back we chatted about the Profile of a Survivor and discussed The Twisted Psychology of a Stalker-Predator. Only natural, then, that we delve into some of the Key Characteristics Of the Victim All Predators Seek. My hope is that readers who identify some of these traits in themselves can begin the hard but necessary task of consciously changing any of these traits. I know it is going to be tough, but I also know it can be done. And, fact is, if you want to recreate yourself into a Hard Target, a target predators and stalkers avoid instead of seeking out, you really have little choice.