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Creating a Safety Perimeter

By Brian Willis
Winning Mind Training Inc.

There are two simple words to describe what you need to do to create a Safety Perimeter - Target Harden. Target hardening is a term often used to refer to physical security measures in a home or business. It is about taking steps to making your home or business (the target) as uninviting as possible to a potential burglar. The reality is that most criminals are opportunists. They are seeking easy targets. Therefore, taking appropriate measures to harden the target means the burglar will have to work far too hard to break in. It also means there is a significantly increased likelihood of detection and apprehension. Their goal is to conduct their business undetected and to avoid apprehension. Therefore, the harder the target, the more likely they will move on to another target.

In order to create a Safety Perimeter you must expand this thinking to make yourself and your family the focus of your Target Hardening strategies. In doing this you will also address your home and business in your assessment and action phases.

There are three fundamental steps to effective Target Hardening:

1. Accept Responsibility.
2. Think like your enemy.
3. Take action.

Accept Responsibility:

The first step in creating a Safety Perimeter is to accepting responsibility for your own safety. Too many people abdicate the responsibility for their safety to other people such as the courts and the police. While the courts and the police play a role in the safety of society as a whole, they cannot 'protect' you unless you are in protective custody. In order for you to take control of your life you must first accept this reality - Your safety begins and ends with you. In his book Fear Less Gavin DeBecker states "Others can choose to make you a target; only you can choose to be a victim." In this powerful quote DeBecker captures the difference in mindset between Victor and Victim. A Victim abdicates responsibility for their safety, has an external locus of control and feels they are powerless to stop whatever is going to happen to them. As a result they give up their power and control to others. Their lives are filled with worry, anxiety and fear. A Victor accepts personal responsibility and takes action to make themselves and their loved ones  'Hard Targets'. They have an internal locus of control and understand that they have the power and they are in control. The 'Victor' mentality not only makes you safer, it allows you to live a life a filled with awareness, confidence, fulfillment and empowerment.

Think Like Your Enemy:

Anyone who is going to threaten you or your family in any way is your enemy. This builds on the themes of acceptance and appropriate mindset. The best way to defeat an enemy is to think like them. It does not mean you become like them, but rather that you learn to think like them. In The Art of War, written 2300 years ago Sun Tzu talked about accepting responsibility and knowing your enemy when he said:

Knowing the other and knowing yourself,
In one hundred battles no danger.
Not knowing the other and knowing yourself,
One victory for one loss.
Not knowing the other and not knowing oneself,
In every battle certain defeat.

If you were the subject looking to break into your home, or attack you how would you do it? Where is your home most vulnerable? Where are you and your family most vulnerable? This is about preparation, not paranoia. Target Hardening starts with the proper mindset.

Take Action:

Once you have accepted responsibility and begun to think like the enemy you must take action to Target Harden your life. This means taking the necessary steps to ensure you are mentally and physically prepared. First, accept that worry is never productive. It is a waste of valuable time and energy. Make worry a call to action. Assess the situation, determine what causes you concern and take action to change the things within your control.

Personal Target Hardening Strategies include:

• Mindset - In my opinion, mindset and mental attitude is the greatest element of any personal Target Hardening strategy. Accept these realities:
  You not only have the right to protect yourself and your family, you have an obligation and a responsibility.
  In any confrontation you are either the predator, or the prey (the victor or the victim). Phil Messina an international recognized trainer and expert on interpersonal human aggression states "Being a predator isn't always comfortable but the only other option is to be prey. That is not an acceptable option."
  Decide right now that you are the predator; that you are the victor. Make it your reality from this moment on and feel the power of that decision.
  Sometimes to be victorious you may need to use violence. Understand that winning isn't always pretty, but it always beats the alternative.
• Situational Awareness - Develop an awareness of the world around you. Too many people meander through life with their hands in the pockets, their eyes looking down and their mind full of noise, clutter and distractions. They are unaware of the people, vehicles and happenings around them. They wander through life as potential prey. Then there are those that walk with their heads held high, they have wide vision and an awareness of all that is going on around them. One is the walk of the prey; the potential victim. One is the walk of the predator; the victor. You choose which path you will walk.
• Personal Protection Training - This is often referred to as self defense training. Keeping with the theme of being the predator, I prefer the term Self Offense training. Regardless of what you call it, the bottom line is that once you have made the personal commitment to be the predator the next step is to learn physical skills that will allow you to defeat an attacker. The training must provide you with simple, realistic, and effective strategies that will work in the real world and not just in the training room. These strategies must be effective regardless of your size and strength. Check out the credentials and experience of the people conducting the training. A great resource is The American Women's Self Defense Association (AWSDA) at www.awsda.org. AWSDA is an international, non-profit, educational organization, made up of women and men who are dedicated to ending violence against women by providing training programs for instructors and services for women, designed to increase their awareness of self defense and rape prevention. AWSDA runs a fantastic annual conference, and publishes a regular newsletter for their members.

Target hardening strategies for your home and/or business include:

• Adequate external lighting including motion sensor lights strategically placed on the exterior of your home.
• Adequate locks and security measures on all access points. This includes good quality deadbolts with sufficient throw in the bolt to avoid the door being easily forced open. Proper locks on all windows and security bars on all basement windows. It also includes have a quality alarm system installed in your home that allows for the arming of the doors and windows but also has motion sensor capability.
• Eliminating potential hiding places or blind spots on the exterior of the premise. Walk around your home both in daylight and low light conditions and become aware of hiding spots or blind spots created by trees, bushes, hedges sheds, vehicles, etc.
• Network with neighbors so that they know you and the members of your family. If there is a specific threat make them aware of potential persons or vehicles to be on the lookout for.
• Network with the law enforcement personnel in you area. Let them know about specific threats, people and vehicles. Most law enforcement agencies have people within their agencies that can help with security assessment of your home and/or business.

You have many choices in life. Choose to take control of your life. Choose to empower yourself. Choose to prepare. Choose to take action. Choose to be the predator. Choose to be the Victor. Choose to live your life to the fullest.

This article comes from the book - The Dandelion Spirit by ML Gallagher

The Dandelion Spirit tells one woman's courageous journey away from abuse and into her one true self. Layer by layer M.L. Gallagher peels away Prince Charming's façade to reveal the terror of his lies and her descent into hell. With aching honesty, she illuminates her path back to life and leaves a trail for others to follow. One step at a time. 

Available through McNally Robinson Booksellers at www.mcnallyrobinson.com ISBN 09736801-7-2

Brian Willis
Winning Mind Training Inc. www.winningmindtraining.com
Advisory Board Member for ILEETA www.ileeta.org
National Advisory Board Member for Police Marksman www.policemarksman.com