Eye Contact and how criminals pick victims

[GuyWithQuestions]

Hello everyone. I thought this topic would be quite appropriate for strategies and tactics. Often you hear people say that you should avoid eye contact with suspicious looking people to avoid being attacked. Then others say that you should make eye contact to avoid being attacked. So how does it really work?

One time I heard some relatives in a discussion about this. My uncle was saying that people from where he lives know that if someone is acting suspicious or tries to talk to you (he lives in Boston), you shouldn't make eye contact with the person because once you do, there's something psychological that tells the person to assault you. Then my grandma said that she thought it was good to make eye contact because when she lived in Tucson, making eye contact with suspicious people let them know that you knew what was going on and that criminals want to get away with whatever they're doing and if you give them the message "I know what you're doing" they're less likely to do it. Then I've heard from some self-defense people that say it's good to make eye contact because criminals want easy victims and if the element of surprise is not there then they'll move on to easier victims and that various serial killers/rapists said they looked for victims who didn't look so alert. I've heard from some individuals, who have been battered or robbed, that it was when they took their eyes off of the person when the person actually rushed in to attack and/or steal something from them. Then on the other hand I've heard of people who have been attacked when someone asked some random question in a random place like "Do you know what time it is" and when they stopped to talk to the person they were attacked, which sounds like it may make sense in some ways because getting you to stop may help them position you better to be attacked. You also hear people all the time saying that if you're in a bad part of town you should avoid eye contact with suspicious looking people or if someone asks you a question not to look at them to avoid attack because there's something psychological to attack when you do that. So does anyone know about eye contact and victimology?

 

[1 old 0311]

I always make eye contact. If asked a question ,I don't think deserves a response, I say "Lo siento mucho. No habla engelis" ( Sorry I don't speak English) and keep walking. If they are Mexican I would be screwed......That is all the Spanish I know.

 

[DoubleTapDrew]

What I've heard on the subject is to look them in the eye, but don't stare people down. Just take a good look as in "I could now pick you out in a lineup". They lost the element of surprise if you see them and what they are doing. Don't stare at the ground or shuffle your feet. A study of criminals in the pen said they picked their victims by body language and on the subject of eye contact said "the only people that look you in the eye on the street are cops and other criminals". FWIW

 

[Kharn]

One common thing many college-aged ladies do is talk on their cellphone while walking late at night and dont look around, thinking it will keep them safe. Apparently criminals love that, since usually the girls are more concerned with the phone conversation than observing their surroundings. Oops.

Kharn

 

[falling leaves]

I don't think eye contact itself is what triggers or prevents an attack. It is what you say with all of your body language, including your eyes. Watch people - you will eventually be able to see a big difference in awareness and presence between individuals. You will notice the way they carry themsleves gives you an impression of each person. This is what aggressors key off of. They will typically look for a target that appears "weak". Looking them in the eye is definitely a step towards presenting a more confident, "stronger" appearance, but it has to be backed up by your firmly held intention to deal with this problem - which will express itself in your demeanor and be readily appearant to the people around you. If you make eye contact, and show your fear, it might give them what they are looking for. But then again, if you show your fear and your forty-five, they may reconsider......

 

[cyanide]

If I may make an analogy

criminals are like the lions on the veld, they always look for the weak prey, often times ignoring prey that may be strong and present a good defense .

A person needs to do the same. Eye contact yes , with attitude .

falling leaves

is right on target.

 

[gunsmith]

welcome to thr BTW

for me it depends, sometimes a quick nod sometimes I stare them down...
Being a native "nu yawka" I can size them up pretty quick.
The only ones I avoid eye contact with are the ones who really want to kill some one and the ones who want to ask for spare change...I don't know how I know...living in a ghetto in NYC as a kid taught me a lot.

When I first moved into my neighborhood there was crack dealers near my house, but the neighborhood wasn't a "crack" neighborhood .
I stood up to them and called the police for noise complaints and dealing and they left after a month.

By stood up to them I mean I went right up and asked them to turn down the music, not to hang out in my doorway and would "work" on my car listening to Metallica when they were conducting their drug buisness.

They never messed with me and I overheard them talking one night
about how "an old white guy" made them stop a gang beat down
by drawing his pistol....(nope not me)

One of them commented on my NRA hat saying "NRA, guns for everyone"
I just smiled and said ""you bet"

 

[tepin]

If I am not wearing dark shades, I typically make brief eye contact and walk with a scowl. I think looking really pissed-off helps.

 

[Tokugawa]

I'm not really sure what I do. I think it would be called "scanning". Try to look them over a bit, where are the hands, body posture, lots of long clothing to cover a weapon, that sort of thing. I'll look at them, but not really lock eyes or anything like that.

 

[rdbrowning]

My wife works stocking music and vidieos, two of the most stolen items in a large store. She was told by security that if you make eye contact usually the theif will leave the department and not come back until later. They become more self concious if someone makes eye contact. My wife told me that on many ocasions several youngsters would be hanging aroung suspiciously, she would ask if she could help them, they declined the help and left. It seems that contact does discourage the petty thief. How someone that is looking to kill for the fun of killing would respond may be a different matter. But I will tend to go with the odds, there are a lot of petty thieves and few serial murders, so I make eye contact with everyone that makes me nervious. Panhandlers, beggers, salesmen, survey takers etc., are studiously ignored as I walk briskly past.

 

[Biker]

Think dogs...One dog walks by another, he can do it with tail between legs, head down, ears at a 45 degree angle, looking away except for furtive glances at the dog he fears and as a consequence invite aggressive behavior.
Or he can walk straight and stiff, passing as close as possible to the other dog without actually touching, bristled hackles, ears slightly back, tail straight out behind, eyes kinda Japanesed, and ask for a confrontation from the other dog either out of fear or as an intrinsic response to an unvoiced threat.

Or, he can give the other dog an obligigatory visual look over, walk confidantly but casually down the path already chosen with the ol' DILLIGAF persona he normally adopts while still keeping a weather eye out for Cujo and quite likely go on about his day doin' the fire hydrant and lookin' for Fifi thing that makes life worth it.

Biker

 

[Cesiumsponge]

I have heard eye contact should be made because by avoiding eye contact and looking downwards shows low self-esteem. By making direct (and perhaps blatant) eye contact, it could show dominance and high self-esteem, which doesn't really perpetuate the picture of being an easy victim.

I've also heard direct eye contact shows defiance, dominance, and can initiate a challenge. The behavior is similar too in social/pack animals and flaunting dominance can lead to a scuffle while showing passiveness can lead to being victimized.

I would make the assumption that there are people that would react to one or the other only, or would react regardless if you look at or away from them. With the human condition, it would be infinitely more complex compared to social mammals as motives can be many other things other than mating or territory.

 

[sacp81170a]

There's also the old "slide" look. You've got your head up, eyes moving, and you make eye contact with that dude what made your "badass radar" go off, but only for a second, as if acknowledging his presence, then you keep scanning. I've done this a lot with prisoners who want to get in a stare down contest to see if they can make you not look at them or break eye contact first. If you're scanning, they see that you've recognized them, assessed them, and are still being on the alert. Avoids confrontation, doesn't let 'em have the satisfaction of making you break eye contact, yet they know you're aware of them in an impersonal sort of way. Works for me.

 

[mete]

I agree, eye contact tells them you are alert and aware of them. To stare is a challenge.

 

[harpethriver]

You can and should be aware without making eye contact. If you choose to make eye contact you better do it with confidence, and be prepared to back it up. Evil doers, while not always intellectually high on the totem pole, seem to have an innate ability to sense weakness, and attack immediately without provocation. So once again, be aware, and by all means be prepared!

 

[mountainclmbr]

I am practicing in the mirror to perfect the "I have my hand on the grips of my 44 Mag and I am also really POed that I missed my range time today" look! Sometimes I scare myself when practicing!

 

[HankB]

I vote for eye contact . . . most of the time.

Some years back I had taken my mother shopping - and as we were walking downtown we both noticed an "urban youth" standing casually near a stairway, looking at us out of the corner of his eye.

We both figured he was eyeballing my mother's purse, and weighing his chances . . . Can I grab the old lady's purse and run fast enough to get away from the guy with her?

My mother shifted her purse from one shoulder to the other, I interposed myself between her and the "urban youth" . . . and we both just stared at him.

The look on his face was priceless ("Awww, s***, I've been made") whereupon he just went down the stairs, no doubt to look for an easier mark.

 

[Harold Mayo]

Take a look at some of the stuff offered by Shivworks. They cover assault cues and pre-fight indicators pretty well. You can interact with some of the Shivworks people and their fans at www.totalprotectioninteractive.com and I even believe that there are some discussions going on right now about assault cues.

 

[Horsesense]

You may want to take a look at this discussion “Eye contact yes or no” . Towords the bottom of the first page, i post a link to a very good web site.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=37640&highlight=eye+contact

 

[Borachon]

I've got my "I once killed a man just to watch him die" look down pat.

Thank you Mike Seaver from "Growing Pains"!

 

[Thin Black Line]

The only ones I avoid eye contact with are the ones who really want to kill some one and the ones who want to ask for spare change...

Bingo. You have a certain "grace period" of look time with either of these
before they become a problem. Too much and you get either the "*** are
you looking at!" or "Spare any change...." Depending on the hour and the
half-life of the meds, either response could come from the same person.

:banghead:

 

[Thin Black Line]

You could always wear this or post it on your vehicle, too.

Well, legally, I guess you'd have to be in a warzone.....

 

[Johnny_Yuma]

Let Me See Your War Face!

Let me see your war face!

 

[redneckrepairs]

No eye contact indicates victom , by the same token stareing is rude as hell , and will be taken as such by folks with less moral constaints than you possess .. make eyecontact but dont try and stare anyone down .

 

[SLCDave]

I usually make eye contact, give a head nod, and ask "How's it going?". Be polite and courteous.