Rosie Garthwaite - How to Avoid Being Killed in a War Zone

For some, such as Zeina Khodr, the idea of hired security is never a good one. She advises: ‘Keep a low profile. I never travel with bodyguards because armed escorts set you apart. My life is not more important than the life of anyone else here. In the end you won’t get the support of the people.’

The idea of self-defence is to avoid getting hurt, not to hurt your attacker. It is great to learn a few techniques, but in reality they are not going to save you if you are taken by surprise, or overwhelmed by someone who is hugely stronger than you. But if you have time, take some self-defence or martial arts classes. At the very least, get fit and strong. Knowing what it feels like to punch and kick might give you the confidence you need for that extra edge in a fight.

Remember, though, your aim is to avoid engaging altogether – run!

Warning:When faced with someone who is armed, comply and do nothing to aggravate them if you think they might use their weapon.

Many fights can be won before they start. If you can convince your attacker that you are not worth the effort before they begin their assault, that is the better option.

If someone is stalking youor you think you are about to be attacked, pretend to be on the phone to the police.

Confront your stalker loudly.Ask what they are doing. Make sure they know you have seen them and will be able to identify them at a later date.

Monique Nagelkerke advises: ‘In countries where men feel they can just grab, pinch and say anything they want to a lone woman, be prepared to hit before you get hit, grabbed or pinched. Hold a soft drinks bottle in your hand at hip level when walking the street so that men cannot bump into your hip “by accident”. The bottle can also serve as a weapon. Hit them hard on the hand and shout: “How dare you!” It nearly always works.

‘When being hit on or grabbed, look the man sternly in the eye and – if you speak the same language – put on your schoolteacher voice and say: “Would you like your wife/sister/mother to be treated like this?” This has worked well for me in the past.’

Surprise is your first weapon.Your attacker might not expect you to fight, so use every last ounce of your energy and strength, and direct it at his weakest parts – the eyes and genitals.

Distract him.Throw coins in his face. Spray perfume in his eyes.

If you are grabbed or assaulted, scream and kick and shout as much as you can in the early stages.

Use your strongest partsto hit him – your feet, your knees, your elbows, your fists. A palm strike (see below) in the face or nose will hurt like hell.

Find a weapon in your surroundings.Use anything you can to keep the attacker away – an umbrella, a handbag, a windscreen wiper, a mop, bricks, park benches, walls and railings… anything. Your mobile phone held in your fist and aimed at his temple would hurt him, as would ‘stabbing’ him with pens or bottles. The end of a rolled-up newspaper hurts if it hits an eye. Hold it close to the end and use the last 5 cm or so as an extension of your fist. Use your clothes or a bag cord to strangle, whip or tie him down.

If you are in your car, use your car as a weapon.

Use the flat palm of your hand rather than your fist or fingers to strike directly.

Hold onto your attacker and aim for his testicles any which way you can. Take him by surprise.

Keep your thumb protected when you punch. Don’t have it inside the fingers or sitting like a lid on top of your fist.

Use your elbow to hit directly. It is less easy to grab and has more force.

Follow up these moves with hit after hit, cut, crush, break, rip or (if you have no other choice) bite…whatever it takes. Once you have the advantage, use it and don’t give up till you can make your escape.

There is no knowing what position your attacker will get you in, but these four pieces of advice can be used in most situations.

Stab his handswith any weapon you can find. Bite them if necessary.

Put him off balancein any way you can and follow this up with violent strikes directed at his weakest parts.

Try to bend your kneesand place them or your feet between you and your attacker to keep a distance. If you can do this, use the chance to kick him away.

If you are physically overcome, use your last weapon – appeal to his emotions.

Samantha Bolton told me some encouraging stories about the effectiveness of this last technique:

‘I know two women who have talked their way out of a rape. One Canadian aid worker was attacked by some young Croat soldiers. She stayed calm and appealed to them: “Look at me. I am blonde, like your sister.” So they backed down.

‘Another woman, much older than her attacker, started slowly to stroke his head when he was on top of her, telling him it would be all right, that she knew how hard the war was. It reminded him of his mother, he started crying and stopped the attack.

‘And if they are going to rape you anyway, follow the example of a nurse who was attacked in the DRC. She told her attackers that she had Aids and gave them condoms to wear. It probably saved her life, though not from the attack.’

In the British Royal Marines they force you to run 10 kilometres before you learn self-defence. The message being that it is always best to run before getting into a fight. You are relying on the fact you are stronger than the other person. Avoid fighting somebody at all costs.

Ralph Hassallis a friend and former employer of mine at the Baghdad Bulletin newspaper in Iraq. He has since become a specialist in disaster management, but his main area of expertise is landmines, and he has worked in a number of mine action programmes around the world. He’s a truly independent spirit with a hidden love of sensible jumpers. And that’s what shines through in his advice below.

He explains that mines planted during wartime are not the only problem. Areas where unexploded weapons have fallen may be unmarked.

Conflict areas will invariably be littered with explosive remnants of war (ERW), which includes landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXO). The latter refers to weapons systems that have been deployed on the battlefield but did not activate as intended. It includes ammunition for light weapons, artillery shells, mortars, grenades, fuses and rockets. UXO can detonate if disturbed, unleashing the full lethal force that it was intended to deliver.