#6 - THE CONCENTRIC CIRCLES OF PERSONAL SAFETY

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The Concentric Circles of Personal Safety is a visual system that illustrates the multiple layers of a comprehensive plan for personal safety. The circles represent the different categories of defenses used to counter a wide variety of threats. As the circles decrease in size, the defenses become more critical, and are more specific to an immediate threat.


C1 - YOU: Or what matters to you most;

C2 - PHYSICAL DEFENSE: Use of Body, Weapons, Environment
Striking, Biting, Kicking, Yelling, Gouging, Clawing, Ripping, Kneeing, Clawing, etc.
Firearms, sharp objects, blunt objects, electrical, chemical, weapons of opportunity, etc.
Cover of darkness, position of the sun, building layout, room furnishings, other people, etc.

C3 - VERBAL DEFENSE: De-escalation, Diffusion, Assertiveness;
Conciously reducing the stress level of the confrontation to create a non-violent conclusion.
Dissapating and redirecting the hostile forces of a confrontation into a manageable situation.
Communicating your will in a forceful, yet non-aggressive manner.

C4 -PERIMETER DEFENSE: Body language, Entry/Exit, Positioning
Communicating your intentions with non-verbal cues and body positioning.
Manuevering yourself to create entry points for safety, and exit strategies for evasion.
Placing yourself into most advantageous position relative to the immediate environment.

C5 - AREA DEFENSE: Environmental awareness, Avoidance;
Knowing what is happening around you , and within your own body and mind.
Staying away from potentially dangerous locations, individuals, and behaviors.

C6 - LIFESTYLE DEFENSE: Activity, Relationship, Habit risk levels
Accounting for chosen lifestyles and their associated risk levels; Ex. clubbing, drinking, etc.
Acknowledging personal relationships and their associated risk levels; Ex. Jealous lovers, etc.
Examining and modifying repeating actions; Ex. walking the dog late at night.

C7 – HABITUAL DEFENSE: Daily, Periodic, Conditional life long habits;
Actions done on a daily basis that enhance personal safety. Ex. locking doors after entry, etc. Actions done periodically. Ex. examining your home for areas and situations. Actions done regularly in response to existing conditions. Ex. always exercising with a friend when outside.

C8 - PERMANENT DEFENSE: One time measures for home, Auto, Work, ID;
Safety precautions that require initial time and resources, but can be maintained with little ongoing effort. Ex. Installing an alarm system, photocopying important documents.

C9 - EDUCATIONAL DEFENSE: Reliable, Up-to-date, Accessible knowledge;
Gathering education on all aspects of personal safety from sources that provide accurate, timely, and actionable information.