I enjoyed reading Onyx Hall’s recent article titled, “Self-Defense Should be a Main Focus on Campus.”  I share the author’s passion about personal safety, and wanted to share some thoughts on this important topic.  While state laws and the student handbook restrict the possession of certain weapons on campus, including tasers and stun guns, when you’re in danger, your most prized weapon won’t be your stun gun or your pepper spray.  What will be able to help you most is something you have with you all your life – your brain. According to Gavin De Becker, author of The Gift of Fear: Survival Signals That Protect Us from Violence, “You have the gift of a brilliant internal guardian that stands ready to warn you of hazards and guide you through risky situations.”  Too often, we ignore that “internal guardian,” our intuition, only to regret it later.  

I want to empower people to listen to their instincts, to recognize potentially dangerous situations, alert the authorities, and take decisive action to stay safe.  To help our students, faculty, and staff develop these internal survival skills, the Furman University Police Department is hosting a unique program called, “Recognize and Escape Danger.”  Our world-class instructor will teach participants important techniques for recognizing and avoiding potentially dangerous situations, as well as basic self-defense skills that can help you survive during a violent encounter.  This class is scheduled for Monday, March 2, at 5:30 p.m. in the Trone Student Center. For more information, please call or email me, Chief John Milby.