Senior Sergeant Janelle Poole, Northern Region Crime Prevention Coordinator says that when a person faces a confrontational situation their reaction may depend upon a number of factors.
“As police, we are frequently called upon to offer advice to community members in relation to appropriate actions to take when an individual’s personal safety is threatened,” said Senior Sergeant Poole.
“Whilst it would be comforting to have one ‘set’ answer, the reality is that no-one can provide one safety option that will work with 100 percent effectiveness in 100 percent of situations
“It is important to emphasise that an individual involved in a confrontation needs to be aware of a range of personal safety options so they can draw upon those that they feel will best preserve their safety in the given situation,” she said
There are three major factors that assist in determining appropriate safety options in any given situation. These are:
the personal strengths and weaknesses of the defender;
the perceived motivations for the attack/confrontation; and
any relevant environmental factors accompanying the attack
Trust your instincts, be committed to your safety, and take whatever steps are necessary to keep you the safest at the time.
Anyone with information which could assist police with their investigations should contact Crime Stoppers anonymously via 1800 333 000 or crimestoppers.com.au 24hrs a day.
