Risk: A Broader Perspective

Gershon Ben Keren

Mon 29th Jul 2019

We all have blind spots concerning our personal safety, and this often results from compartmentalizing threats, and not recognizing certain vulnerabilities e.g. we put AC locks on our window air-conditioners, so burglars can’t easily push them in to gain access to our properties, but fail to check them – and treat them - for lung-damaging mold, that could constitute a serious health risk, etc. Because we are so focused on certain types of threats, we fail to recognize others. In fact, we may be so pleased with ourselves for thinking to fit an AC lock, and ticking that box, that...Click To Read More

What Ifs

Gershon Ben Keren

Mon 22nd Jul 2019

Human beings abhor the unknown, and unpredictability. However much we may crave excitement, we prefer it if we can exert a level of control over our situation(s) e.g. we may enjoy the adrenaline rush of sky diving or bungee jumping, etc. but we do so understanding that a certain level of control and predictability exists regarding these activities. In real-life violent encounters, there are so many variables at play, that it is impossible to know for sure, what is and what will happen; an attacker may be concealing a weapon, they may have friends who can come to their assistance,...Click To Read More

Preparing For Travel

Gershon Ben Keren

Mon 15th Jul 2019

I realized recently, that I hadn’t written anything concerning travel security, in over two years; and in the middle of the holiday/travel season, it seems as good a time as any to talk about it. Travel security, is a huge subject area, in that it covers all your regular day-to-day security concerns, but looks at them from the perspective of being in a foreign/unfamiliar environment e.g. you may be fully aware of the bad streets and neighborhoods in your own locale, but have little knowledge of the risks that exist in the area(s) you will be visiting etc. In this...Click To Read More

Skills And Feedback

Gershon Ben Keren

Mon 8th Jul 2019

Skills are more important than techniques, when it comes to surviving a violent altercation. A skillful person can get a sub-optimal – I don’t like using the term “bad” – technique to work, but an unskilled person cannot get the most efficient and effective technique (if such exists) to work, in a real-life encounter; without a massive amount of luck and incompetence on their attacker’s part. Some people don’t possess the skills to make certain techniques work, but that doesn’t mean they’re bad or inappropriate techniques e.g. there are a lot of great strikers who don’t have the skills to...Click To Read More

Different Types Of Anger

Gershon Ben Keren

Mon 1st Jul 2019

Not all anger is the same, and in order for us to stand a chance at de-escalation and conflict resolution, we need to understand what motivates it, and where it comes from; if you spill a drink over one person in a bar, they may become slightly aggressive, but not committed to physical action, whilst another individual may aggressively explode into you, with no other thought than to cause you maximum damage and harm, etc. When we can understand the personality, along with the “thinking errors” that accompany the character of such violent individuals, we can tailor our responses accordingly....Click To Read More