November 1988

 
   

Anti Gay Violence - Self Defense

Following are some suggestions as to
how lesbians and gay men can protect
themselves better from street violence.
They are based on safety information pub-
lished by various local groups. Remember
that not all attacks can be prevented or es-
caped from; these self-defense guidelines
should not be construed as an attempt to
shift responsibility from the assailant to the
victim.

How to Minimize the Risk of Attack
1)Know your local “danger zones,”
areas where lesbians and gay men have
been frequently attacked. Try to avoid
these areas if you are alone. Pick routes
where there is life in the streets: other

pedestrians, open stores, traffic. If it is late

and you are able to take a cab or bus to your
destination, do so.

2)If you must walk alone, walk asser-
tively and be alert. If you are intoxicated,
drugged, tired, or upset, try not to show it.
Assailants have a nose for vulnerability and
are looking for easy targets.

3)Make brief eye contact with people
who walk towards you to determine

whether they are a threat and to let them
know you are aware of their approach. If
you hear someone behind you, don’t be
afraid or embarrassed to turn around and
see who it is. If you feel threatened, you
very well may be, and you should act ac-
cordingly. Analyze later. Every second of
denial reduces the time you might need to
escape.
4)If you think someone is following
you, widen the distance between the two of
you. Walk closer to the street or cross the
street. Walk into a store. Run if you need to.
5)Avoid close-up verbal exchanges
with people you are not comfortable with.
If people in cars or on the street ask you a
question or request directions, yell back a
response rather than approach them.
6)Prolonged or aggravated verbal
exchanges often result in violence. If some-
one taunts or harasses you, do not respond
unless you are prepared for a fight.
7)Learn some basic self-defense
techniques.Their purpose is not to over-
power and subdue an attacker but to injure
a vulnerable area so that you can escape.

What to Do If You Are Attacked

1)If you carry a whistle—and you
should-use it. Or yell.

2)On the other hand, if your assailant is
armed with a gun, stay quiet and still. And
never rush at someone who has a knife. If
the motive is robbery rather than assault, do
not resist.

3)Once violence has begun, however,
defend yourself. Homophobic assailants
are no less vicious if you are passive, and
they often don’t expect much resistance
from their gay victims. Surprise them. Aim
blows at vulnerable areas: the face, throat,
solar plexus, groin, kidneys. Stomp their
feet. Kick their shins. Knee them in the
crotch. Scream bloody murder. And as
soon as you can, run like hell.

4)A single heavy blow to your face or
head could be fatal. If you fall or are forced
to the ground, tuck your head into your
arms.

What to Do If You See an Attack
1)Call the police immediately from the
nearest phone. In many communities, dial-

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