Safety Doesn't Have To Be Scary: Simple steps to avoid violent crime, attacks and conflict Book by Marc MacYoung

Ever watch a horror movie where a character ignores the advice you yell at the screen? You shout, “Don’t!” but the person goes to investigate in the creepy basement where the light suddenly doesn’t work, and spooky music plays in the background. Those are known danger signs in movies. Crime and violence have clues that are just as obvious—if you know how to recognize them.

This book is about you not walking into dangerous situations. It’s not a self-defense book; it’s about nonviolent responses that will keep you safe. Think of it as “ways to avoid crime and violence without having to resort to force.” For most people—by the time things become physical—it’s too late. A far more reliable safety strategy is informed, preemptive action to prevent violence. It’s also something anyone can do: •Sometimes it’s outsmarting bad guys.•Other times it’s not angering people.•Often it is knowing how to behave in certain environments.•And it involves developing simple habits that warn you of danger early on.•But most of the time it’s knowing when to leave.Staying safe from crime is easy. Better yet crime avoidance has very little impact on your life.Violence itself can be a little more complicated. Most violence happens between people who know each other. It occurs because of pride, emotion, and behavior. In a potentially violent situation between two people—you are fifty percent of the equation.

That’s not blame—it’s power. And it’s a power you can use to prevent violence or provoke it. The choices are yours as are the consequences.The first two purposes of this book are recognition and avoidance. A third is to help you after you’ve had your sense of safety shattered by crime or violence (or coming back from overseas). Once you know what real danger signs are you don’t need the stress of hyper-vigilance or a trauma-driven response to situations that aren’t physically dangerous.It’s not enough to feel safe—together we’ll keep you safe.

About the Author:

Marc MacYoung has never fit well into simple categories. That's because of his diverse past. When his family fell into situational poverty he found himself facing lifestyles and problems that most people have no idea exist, much less have experience dealing with. It was during that time the earned the street name "Animal." Many of his stories start with qualifiers like "The first time I was shot at..." and "The last time I had someone try to stab me..." (It was a long hard climb out of that lifestyle.) Decades of experience in environments and professions where violence was common, would eventually lead him to being a court recognized expert about violence, crime, and self-defense.

This wide ranging background gives him a completely different perspectives of the complex problems involved with personal safety, conflict, violence, and crime avoidance —especially how there are no simple answers (e.g., martial arts or carrying a gun). Those approaches may soothe fears, but they don't actually address danger —or the problems you'll face if you have to use them.

Over the years his works have evolved from that of a streetfighter to taking a more practical approach of avoidance and/or deterrence. This opens far more effective and non-violent options for his readers. As he often says "I'm not about fear management. My goal is danger management. I'm more interested in teaching you how to avoid walking into the lion's jaws than giving you false confidence about doing so."

Length: 272 pages

Publication date: 2021