If She Walks Like a Victim…

The best CI a crime writer could ever have, Officer X, sent me a fascinating video, where Dr. John Marsden asked four volunteers to prove how our body language might make us a target for violence. He used technology, which looks like small balls, normally used in cartoon animation, to see if hidden signals in the way someone moves identifies him/her for attackers. With one ball at each joint, one atop the head, six cameras recorded the position of their joints as they walked, allowing the computer to turn the different views into a 3D model.

The result was an animation video clip of each person’s movement, showing no physical details at all. Red dots glowed on a black screen, identifying the joint and head areas. Next, he showed the video clips to two veteran body guards, who are also experts in street fighting. One was Lee Morrison. Anyone who follows martial arts/self-defense will recognize his name.

As Lee and John, the other expert, studied the red dots outlining each figure, they determined who of the four was most at risk. If you’d like to check it out for yourself, here’s the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQYEaeQAyIM

The findings

Person #1:

Not overly confident. No strength of character, but not overly introverted, either. This person was miles away from the here and now. Not engaged with the environment.

Person #2

Spine alignment was military straight. There was a wiggle to hips, head tilted back. A swagger, the arms swung with huge movements. Whether this person consciously knew it or not, he/she was attracting attention. The swagger could make them a victim of a verbal or physical assault, especially if male.

Person #3

The spine bowed over, shoulders rolled forward. Bad posture. Very small movements of the hands. Short steps, slow stride. An inward victim profile. By looking at this person you knew he was walking in denial as though he had serious problems. Weighted. Subservient. An extremely negative way to portray yourself. His body language said, “I don’t want you to know I exist. If I close my eyes, maybe the world won’t notice me.” It also said, “I’m an easy mark. I won’t fight back.”

Person #4

Nothing outwardly obvious in the walk. No small movements. No large movements that drew attention, but they were aware of their surroundings. A gray man, middle of the road.

Obviously, person #3 was at the highest risk. Matter of fact, eighteen hours before the demonstration he was the victim of a vicious assault. Everything about his demeanor screamed, “I am a victim!”

What can we learn by this?

Our emotions play a big role in how we portray ourselves. A serious problem, bad experience, or self-loathing all affect how we move. By getting in the right mindset we can avoid confrontation. Our movements betray our vulnerabilities.

What’s the best way to avoid being targeted?

Head up. No chatting on the phone. No texting. No earphones. Stay alert and aware of your surroundings. Keep good posture. Walk at a brisk pace. Confident gait. Look around frequently. Be present in the here and now. No huge movements, but no small ones, either. If you are lost, do not ask a stranger on the street for directions. First, you’re telling them your destination. Secondly, you’re announcing you have no idea where you are. Thus, making you vulnerable. Instead, find a police officer or buy a map.

I read an interesting study about how a glide of the foot rather than a lift makes you less likely to become a victim. I’m assuming this is because plodding with heavy steps doesn’t give off a confident front.

[tweetthis twitter_handles=”@SueColetta1″]Criminals size you up. Walk with confidence.[/tweetthis]

Criminals size you up. It’s a fact. Like in the animal kingdom, the weak become victims. While watching this video I was reminded of how similar we are to animals. A cold stare into an unfamiliar dog’s eyes will bring about aggression. We’re no different. One trip to the local bar should tell us that.

How to lessen our chances of being victimized

Learn awareness. Recognize a threat. If someone throws you a hard stare, it’s a good indication they’re looking for a fight, or worse. Don’t stare back. Instead, put yourself in a position of being able to flee. Keep track of their movements. You don’t want to blindly disregard a credible threat. Plan your escape. At the same time, try to determine their next move. As I discussed in the first post of the Badass in Heels series, your car keys can become an instant weapon. If walking to your car at night, keep them in your hand.

Are you headed toward a desolate area? If you are, change course so you stay visible to others. Don’t make it easy for a predator to assault you. So what, if it takes you extra time to get where you’re going. At least you’ll make it there in one piece.

Above all, think. Common sense goes a long way in keeping you safe.

How does this relate to crime writing?

We could use this information for our antagonist. While trolling for prey he spots someone who walks like a victim. Describe the gait of the poor soul above, person #3. This will lend credibility to our story.

We could use the information for our character arc. Perhaps our protagonist starts out as someone who walks like a victim. By the third quartile her posture perks up, chin rises, back straightens, and she becomes more alert and aware of her surroundings. She has evolved into a warrior who’s now able to confront the antagonist force head-on.

[tweetthis twitter_handles=”@SueColetta1″]Our body language speaks volumes to predators.[/tweetthis]

Looking for a way to kill your darlings? Discover what you’ll find inside 60 Ways to Murder Your Fictional Characters. Get your FREE copy today. Press “sign me up!” at the top of the screen or fill out form in the sidebar.

I’m off to read Larry Brooks’ new craft book, Story Fix: Transform Your Novel From Broken to Brilliant. This is the craft book he was born to write, so I’ve cleared my afternoon to savor every minute of it.

Have a great day, everyone!