Offense or defense, what comes first
Offense or defense, what comes first if you're being attacked in the street? This is actually a complicated question with many layers. Some self-defense experts and martial arts instructors will give you a definitive answer, but they're usually not addressing all of the layers of this very complex situation.
Being attacked on the street is one of the most dangerous things that will ever happen to anyone. First and foremost, you have to try to stop someone who is very likely trying to, and if not OK with killing you. With that in the forefront of the situation, obviously trying to stay alive is the most important thing, but it's definitely not the only "thing".
If you get past by far the most dangerous situation, and you succeed, congratulations, you are alive, and you can go home and see your beautiful family now. But wait, there's more I'm gonna tell you the downside now.
You're on top of the world; I'm very happy because you were able to defend and beat your attacker, and now you can spend the rest of your life with your beautiful family until you get the letter in the mail a week later. The attacker who viciously and without provoke physically attacking because he wanted your watch, is now suing you for your house, your savings, and all of your material possessions. Now comes another nightmare connected with a street attack, a criminal, and or civil repercussions.
I appreciate that you are still alive and well after a completely terrible human tried to take it all away from you just to rob you, without absolutely no concern for anything else, including your life. But please know that the same dirtbag that has no problem physically attacking you or even killing you so he can steal your property, is also the same person who will have absolutely no problem lying in court to now try to steal everything you own with words.
Once you get into this position, it's pretty much out of your hands, it all depends on who has a better lawyer, what kind of mood your judge is in, and just how low they were able to go to try to select 12 impartial jurors. There's really not much you can do at this point, but it's not all bad news, there are some things you can do to help stack the deck on your side if you went into the situation with the end in mind.
Number one, without a doubt, your first priority is staying alive. Having to go to jail, or even be sued for everything you own are very terrible, but neither of them are as bad as having your health severely compromised, or worse, dying. With that said, I'll give you some ways where you can not only increase taxes of staying alive but decrease your chances of having to do prison time or lose all of your possessions.
1. Until the fight actually starts, keep your hands wide-open, and making it very loud to anyone that can hear that you do not want to fight. Keep your hands open take a non-threatening pose and scream at the top of your lungs that you do not want to fight you do not want any violence.
2. Realize going in to any altercation, there will be not only human witnesses, but digital ones as well. Well you should go into any altercation knowing that you are being videoed, and you should act accordingly right up till it's "Go Time", then do not think about anything but getting home to your family.
3. Even while you are being as non-threatening as possible, knowing there are witnesses and cameras, do not ever compromise your physical well-being in the meantime. So while you are continuing to appear not only non-threatening but completely non-confrontational, do not ever put yourself in harm's way.
4. Once it is "go time" the only defense you worry about now is all physical and life or death. And the thought of witnesses and a camera should not even cross your mind during go-time. Let me be clear, that "go-time" ends the second that you are not in imminent danger of great bodily injury or death. Once the threat has been stopped, go-time stops. And your umbrella of the "Self Defense" law ends, and anything you do after that is a crime.
Basically, what I'm saying is you should use restraint right before, and right after "go-time", during go-time there should be no restraint given, the only thought in your mind should be going home to your family.
