"Fun" facts about knife attacks.

Taken from a post on a sub I'm not sure I'm allowed to crosspost here.Recently there have been some educational posts, so I figured I'll add one as well: how to deal with knife attacks.Here's an article about surviving knife attacks. Some guy watched 150 CCTV videos of knife attacks and concluded:71.1% of knife attacks are led with the empty handMost knife attacks are ambushes, not duelsIn 80% of the cases I've analysed, the knife is kept hidden until the very last moment. That is until the attack is launched.70.6% of knife attacks are launched within 3 feet of the victim*This leaves you with very little space (and time) to react!Such a small 'reactionary gap' means that it's almost impossible to stop the first stab if you're not expecting it.*Knife attacks don't last long 80% lasts shorter than 32 seconds graphKnife attacks are more often performed with quick, short, repetitive stabs at different anglesIn other words:you will be taken by surprise and you will be overwhelmed by fear and aggression you won't see the blade before the attack is launchedyou very likely won't be able to run away and avoid the attackyou will have very little time and space to react and deploy a counter-attackyou probably won't be able to stop the first stab(s) so, yes, you will be you will be cut and stabbed a number of times but - you might not even realise you've been stabbed (which is why you should always check yourself for wounds after a physical confrontation)you probably won't have time to draw your own weapon (gun, knife, kubotan keychain, pepper spray, etc); at least not before being stabbed a couple of timesyou will be likely moving backwards, your balance will be compromised, and you'll probably fall to the groundyour movements will be restricted, your fine motor skills will be gone, you won't able to access the knife bearing arm easilyany technique that is based on smooth arm deflection and manipulation has very little chance to workany technique that rests on the assumption of a single straight thrust ('full-stop one-step zombie attack') or a wide sweeping slash has very little chance to workPart 2: surviving a knife attackAfter a potential stabbing situation: always check yourself. Because of adrenaline you might not feel a lethal stab. A wet shirt could indicate a wound. Stab wounds can be small, but deep. So do seek medical care if you find anything.First Aid:Put pressure on the woundCall emergency services (UK: 999, USA: 911)Keep pressure on the wound until an ambulance arrivesdo not remove any penetrating objectsSituational awarenessSince knife attacks usually come as a surprise, the only way to prevent then is to not get in the situation in the first place.avoid rowdy, busy crowdsbe attentiveknow your routetrust your gut and act accordinglydon't have a big ego, a fight that is not fought is a winbe aware of your position in a space, relative to others, and where you can flee, if neededKnife AwarenessIt's important to stress that if, during a verbal confrontation, you don't see your aggressor's hand(s) or his/her thumbs, you should assume he has a weapon (knife, screwdriver, stick, bottle, hammer, etc).look for the triangle arm: when an arm is shortly in the shape of a triangle (relative to the body) it could be because a knife is drawn.Defending against the knifeNo matter the situation, you should always try to flee. Unless you have someone to protect (eg a kid) or you're under close threat. Then compliance is adviced because if the attacker wanted to stab, he would have already and money etc is replaceable. This does not apply when you suspect to be abducted, then fleeing becomes priority again.If you can't immediately flee, but you have distance, find something to keep distance: a chair, a broom, backpack, whatever.If you can't find something large, try throwing a set of keys (or similar) in his face. Anything to find a gap to flee.Empty handed defenseThere are many techniques to defend against knife attacks. They're usually aimed at preventing stabs in vital areas (a slash on the arm is nasty, but if that's all...) and then countering. A counter aimed to stun and flee or to disarm. I won't get into those techniques because they require lots of (krav maga) training to become proficient.Here's a video of a trained krav maga fighter that defends against knife attacks. Even he is regularly tagged and stabbed. So really if you are untrained: don't be a hero, run.Knifethreats (eg knife to throat)are easier to defend with proper technique and years of training than the stab and slash attacks. But even then, expect a cut somewhere. via /r/CCW https://ift.tt/3giI6aL