The Three Levels of Threat
At STMA we deal with Threat Response. We find this a more positive term than "Self Defence".
When an enemy attacks you and you DEFEND yourself you REACT to his attack.
With our method you RESPOND to his THREAT.
You are choosing the appropriate method of Response. You are acting not reacting.
Action always beats reaction.
With this in mind we need to decide the level of threat before choosing our response.
There are three levels of threat:
SIMPLE
SERIOUS
LIFE THREATENING
With any threat, get your Fence up so you have your PE ready, as well as all your backup. At this point you must assess the situation to make sure you choose the appropriate level of response and stay within the Law as regards reasonable force.
SIMPLE threat:
A non physical common assault.
An aggresor who steps into your space making a verbal assault, but who does not physically attack you.
You may feel afraid for you safety, or are at the stage when you are about to become so.
A simple threat can, and often is, defused without the need for physical violence.
SERIOUS threat:
An aggressor becomes an attacker, makes a physical assault, intending to cause you injury and pain. The effects of his actions, in the eyes of the Law, would be classed as Actual Bodily Harm or Grevious Bodily Harm.
You are at risk of being hurt, cut, feeling pain, or having a bone broken. You have the right to defend yourself from this attack.
You have the right to use a PE.
If you miss the PE phase, as often happens, you have the right to use all your backup phases - kicks, HKE, chokes, trapping, throws, to end the encounter, to stop the attack, and minimise your physical suffering.
Your attacker has invited your violent response, so don't be afraid to use it.
LIFE THREATENING ATTACK:
This is the most serious level of attack.
Your life can be ended as a result of your attacker's actions.
This is almost always the case if a weapon is involved, especially a bladed weapon such as a knife, and always if there is a gun.
This does not just refer to a life ending attack, one that would end your life, but also a life changing attack, but one that would change the quality of your life.
You must do ANYTHING and EVERYTHING to stop this attack and SAVE YOUR LIFE.
