Murder- in the next 60 seconds it's going to happen to you.
Well, maybe not you, but with murder being one of mankind's favorite activities, somebody,
somewhere, is definitely going to get snuffed out.
Over 400,000 people are murdered every year, and you could be next.
It should be common sense that if you live in a bad neighborhood, you don't go out jogging
at night alone, but generally you should take care to avoid unpopulated areas when its dark
if you can help it.
However, the better economically developed the area you're in, the less chance you're
going to get murdered, because killers know that cops respond a lot faster to neighborhoods
with white picket fences than rent-controlled apartment blocks just off the freeway.
While it may be good cover for many a suburban evil Dexter type serial killer, they are not
good hunting grounds.
So you're probably ok jogging at 2 am in residential Burbank, but should seriously consider changing
your exercise routine if you live in South Central LA.
But it makes sense to avoid activities where the possibility of murder is extra high in
other ways.
Maybe don't get involved with making drug deals, where the odds of someone getting killed
are exponentially increased.
We really don't want to push the type of paranoia that makes people not help other people in
need, and while you shouldn't be afraid of strangers when you need a lending hand, you
also shouldn't be dumb.
So if you're stuck on the side of the road and a stranger shows up offering a ride, don't
be afraid to take it- but also don't be afraid to acknowledge the potential dangerous situation
you're entering into.
Take a picture of the car's license plate and text it to a friend- then inform the driver
what you've done as a precaution so that they are aware that somebody is expecting you home
safe and that you have access to potentially identifying information on them.
Sure, it may be a little socially awkward, but a good person will laugh it off and probably
commend you for the idea- at which point you can then direct them to our channel and tell
them to subscribe.
But a killer will immediately be turned off from making your skull a future coffee mug,
because they know their chances of remaining anonymous have just been shot.
Along with a picture of the license plate, don't be afraid to ask for a picture of the
driver themselves- if they refuse, then you're no worse off really, just sit in your car
and wait for help.
You might have just saved your own life.
Also make sure to send to your friend details on what you're currently wearing, where you're
being picked up from, the time, and an estimated time of arrival.
It's also a good idea to have a duress phrase already pre-planned with your family or friends.
This is a certain phrase that you don't use very often, but that you could drop in a conversation
to immediately alert those who know that you're in danger.
In the US military this technique is often used so that if an individual is ever forced
to act against their will they can alert others to that fact covertly.
Some examples of duress phrases are simple things that your friends and family would
know are out of place, like “I really loved those red boots you bought me”, or “Kurzgesagt
is a better channel than The Infographics Show”- you know, the type of completely
unbelievable thing people around you would immediately know you’d never say and thus
signal you are in trouble.
All of these details will be great for helping solve your murder later, and police will really
super appreciate your cooperation- but the entire point is to avoid getting murdered
in the first place.
That's why it's important to alert your good samaritan to the fact that you've notified
someone that you're being picked up or helped by them and that they're expecting to hear
from you.
Information is deterrence in this case, and if you happen to be unlucky enough to have
gotten picked up by a serial killer, they'll almost certainly move on to their next victim
instead.
It doesn't hurt to also pay attention to people around you or in your life.
Do you have a neighbor with blacked out windows who does a lot of late night trash runs?
They're either a vampire or a serial killer- and well, we suppose that in this case there's
very little difference between the two.
Since you're at greatest risk of getting killed when you're alone though, pay attention to
the way people are dressed around or how they act.
Is someone in your vicinity unusually dressed for the weather?
A killer may try to hide their identity to a degree by wearing things that make identifying
them harder.
Bulky clothing also makes it easier to hide a weapon.
This should be an especially alarming sign at places like concerts, movie theaters, or
a typical American school.
Contrary to popular opinion though, it's not the social outcasts you should be watching
out for.
Most times serial killers are very sociable people, who are adept at putting you at ease
and gaining your trust.
Ted Bundy and John Wayne Gacy were both described as wonderful people by friends and family,
and yet both were horrific monsters.
Ted Bundy was notorious for gaining the confidence of the women he stalked by being personable,
charismatic, and even by faking illnesses or injury.
While you've been keeping a wary eye on the big tattooed biker a few bar stools down from
you, the wimpy guy that you've been knocking back drinks with and laughing about the latest
episode of Last Week Tonight is already making mental measurements of your femur to see if
it'll fit in his stew pot or if he'll have to saw it in half instead.
Serial killers are social chameleons, because they understand that their very survival depends
on them being the last person suspected of actually being a murderer.
Ted Bundy was even on a civilian crime advisory board.
The truth is though that you're more likely to be killed by someone you know than by a
serial killer.
This is why it's in your best interest to keep good relationships with those around
you, and to understand the motivations for people's behaviors.
There's no really good advice to give here, because these types of killings are typically
passion murders, meaning they were killings that were unplanned and happened in the heat
of the moment.
There's not much you can proactively do to protect yourself from being murdered this
way, except maybe practice a bit of prudence.
Don't make it a habit to argue with people, it's a pretty stupid and useless thing to
do anyways- think back on every argument you've ever had and ask yourself if you've ever actually
changed anyone's mind.
Try to avoid things that might set someone off- if you're married, maybe avoid cheating
and getting caught in bed with your spouse's sibling.
That's exactly the type of thing that leads to a crime of passion, and ends up with you
in the morgue.
While hopefully it'll never happen, you might find yourself in a situation where someone's
trying to murder you anyways.
In an ambush scenario, there's sadly little you can do- though typically most ambush killers
are quick to run away so as to avoid being caught.
Here, knowing some basic first aid can be a literal life saver as these killers might
not stick around to make sure you've bit the dust.
Apply pressure to all wounds and try and elevate them above the heart- this will slow down
blood loss because it's harder for the heart to pump blood uphill.
Don't change out bandages even if they're completely soaked in blood, this will only
tear off the clotting that's already begun and the wound will bleed freely once more.
In case of serious uncontrollable bleeding in a limb, learn how to tourniquet to cut
off blood flow completely- you'll likely lose the limb but save your life.
If you're in a situation where you have to fight, having learned some self-defense beforehand
can make the difference between life and death.
First, if you can run- run.
Any self-defense teacher worth their salt will tell you that the best option in any
situation is to simply run away.
Your goal should always be to fight back long and hard enough to create an opening to simply
run away.
Serial killers are a lot like animal predators, and if a victim fights back hard enough they
tend to give up.
That's because the harder you fight, the longer you take to die, and the greater chance of
being accidentally discovered.
Many victims have saved their own lives by fighting so hard their killer simply fled,
looking for easier prey elsewhere.
One surprising tactic to keep you alive however is to simply remind the person trying to kill
you that you're a human being too.
Whether it's a premeditated murder by a deranged serial killer or a crime of passion, humans
are generally hardwired to be turned off at the thought of killing another human being-
it's one of the reason why in militaries around the world, even veteran soldiers are discovered
to be shooting high and missing targets on purpose.
If you can remind your killer of your humanity, it might make them feel theirs.
Talk about your life, your family, your job.
Make yourself a real person in their eyes, not just another faceless victim.
Don't beg for your life, because many killers get off on the power trip of killing, but
instead talk about the people who depend on you.
Even better, bring up any shared interests, ideologies, or beliefs- nothing makes someone
more real in another person's eyes than realizing you have the same thoughts on important things.
Again, many victims have saved their own lives by simply talking to their would-be killers,
and several serial killers have admitted to aborting a planned kill when their victim
suddenly became 'too real' in their eyes.
This can help even in a crime of passion, as talking about the people who would be affected
by your death can suddenly make the consequences of killing you real for an angry friend or
sibling or even lover.
Don't bother talking about the chances of getting caught, that'll simply make them angrier
at you- just talk about your family, especially if you share family members.
Talk about your kids, even talk about your dog- people are suckers for dogs, because
dogs are amazing.
Just bring up anything that humanizes you and overcomes the blind passionate desire
to kill.
Now go check out Degrees of Murder, what do they mean?
Or click this other link right here.