What the establishment media would say if they really wanted to help

By Jim Irvine

Last week Jerry "Bucky" Inman was arrested for the kidnapping, rape and murder of Tiffany Marie Souers, a 20 year-old civil engineering student at Clemson University in South Carolina. The “mainstream” media and the talking heads continue to make this event into a national story. But it’s difficult to find anything useful in their coverage.

Consider a typical comment from The State:

”He should have never been out to victimize the girl in South Carolina,” said Laura McElroy, a spokeswoman with the Tampa Police Department.

In some cosmic sense, this may be true, but that is another debate. The statement is about as relevant as, “He should have never broken into her apartment, bound her hands and feet, brutally raped her and then strangled her with her bikini top and left her dead on her apartment floor.” That is what happened. What “should have” does not matter.

Saying, “It’s not supposed to rain” when you leave your windows open will not keep your stuff dry. It’s just another version of, “It won’t happen to me.” It won’t - until the day that it does.

Rape, murder, or other violent crime can leave you and your family scarred forever. You must take appropriate steps to ensure it does not happen to those you love. There are many good steps you can take, but most media seems intent on giving all the information they can generate, as long as is it’s not even remotely useful to you.

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With some planning, you can Refuse to be a Victim.
The NRA has a course with that title which covers a broad range of security and safety tips. It is NOT a firearms course, or a self-defense course. It is a course of information and ideas from which each student must choose the best alternatives for their individual situation. It is a great course, but major media seems unwilling to talk about it.

Martial arts and other self-defense training are effective, but require time and practice to be effective. While not for everyone, these techniques can be an important part of your personal safety net. The more tools you have to choose from when you are attacked, the better prepared you will be with an appropriate response. You don’t need to be a black belt to give yourself an advantage in a fight, but some basic knowledge of fighting techniques can help you avoid a fight, or win one when your life is on the line.

A firearm is a great equalizer, but requires training and licensing to carry on your person. Once licensed by the state, there are still many restrictions. Statistically, it is your best tool in defense of a stranger rape. Given the disparity of size and strength, in many cases it is the only tool that will allow escape without physical injury to the victim. That is why a gun is my favorite layer of protection against physical assault.

There are other intangibles that can make one less likely to be targeted by a criminal. For a single girl, having a room-mate may deter an attack like the one on Souers, but they also introduce a new risk with the guests your room-mate will bring into your home. Acquaintance rape is more common than stranger rape, and I am not familiar with any study that seeks to quantify the odds of attack by comparing different living arrangements. It likely comes down to a good room-mate with good friends is a good thing, while a room-mate with one bad friend can be a very bad thing.

The point is, there are many things to consider regarding your personal safety. You will not find this information in major news outlets where it could do much good. For the good advice, you must seek it out; read books, take classes, investigate something unfamiliar to you. Ultimately, you are responsible for your own safety.

It does not matter what “should have” been. Take steps today to insure that a criminal has good reason to choose the “other guy.” Have a plan in case you are attacked. Talk with your family, your children and your parents. If you are attacked, what “should have” will not matter. It’s what does happen to you, and how you respond that will determine how you get to live the rest of you life.

Suggested reading:
Her Wits About Her – Denise Caignon & Gail Groves
Armed and Female – Paxton Quigley
Stayin’ Alive, Armed and Female in an Unsafe World – Paxton Quigley
The Truth of Self Protection – Massad Ayoob
NRA Guide to the Basics of Personal Protection in the Home