What to do and what not to do in the event of an assault?

Cities are spaces for coexistence that are not exempt from crime, if you spend a good part of your day traveling the streets from one destination to another or you simply like to go for a walk and discover new places, you should keep these tips in mind. We honestly hope you never need them, but it never hurts to know how to react to an assault.

1. Stay calm. Some people can get really nervous when they’re mugged, especially if they’re threatened with a weapon. If you belong to this type of person, you should know that the offender has no intention of using his weapon against you, all he wants is for everything to pass quickly so he can leave, just like you. Calm down, you can use any of these mantras to achieve it.

2. Pay attention to your surroundings. Try to memorize every detail of the situation, the time of day, the exact location, the appearance of your assailant and some signs that could identify him. All this information will be very useful for the police later, some even manage to find who assaulted them and recover their belongings thanks to the fact that they remember specific details.

3. Cooperate. Never resist an assault, no matter if you feel up to it. Don’t try to fight or attack your assailant, much less if he has a weapon. Remember that it is not his intention to use it, but rest assured that he will if things get complicated or you make him too nervous with your attitude. Try to be as calm as possible, do not insult or provoke him, your integrity depends on it.

4. Do not threaten. It is useless to tell the thief that what he is doing is wrong, do not try to intimidate him with the possible consequences of his actions, he is very aware of them. Do not become a policeman or a priest, it is not your role. In this situation, all you have to do is cooperate so that everything ends as soon as possible.

5. Communicate the right way. If the assailant orders you something and you don’t listen or don’t understand it, tell him clearly and directly: «I didn’t understand your order» you run the risk that he will think you deliberately don’t want to cooperate and become violent. If he ever asks you something, he takes a deep breath and answers firmly. Never give more information than what is requested or try to negotiate. To direct questions, direct answers.

6. Call the police when he’s gone. Never fail to report a robbery or assault. Your call to the police could be crucial in preventing what happened to you from happening to other people. Also, there is always the possibility that your assailant will be identified. As soon as you make sure you are safe after the robbery, go immediately to file a report.

It is very likely that you will need some type of therapy after this experience, even if you feel fine at the moment, post-traumatic stress could affect your quality of life and cause bigger problems if you do not treat yourself in time.

It may interest you: How to support a victim of a traumatic event?