It's back to school and time to discuss campus safety. College campuses can often seem a safe place outwardly but things aren't always as they appear. We must all remember that violent attacks are usually a surprise to the victim who often does not realize they are in trouble until they glance around and come to a rapid realization of the situation that they just walked into. The perpetrator however has the advantage of full knowledge of what they intend to do.

First and foremost it is vital to be aware of your surroundings. It's easy to adopt a happy-go-lucky attitude and pay no attention as you go about your errands and daily travels and for the most part luck will be with you. But that one time that it isn't is all it takes to change your world forever.

When you are in a parking area heading to your car you should already have your keys in your hand and the car key or wireless key fob front, center and ready. Have a look around, are there any persons just sitting in their car? Give a wide birth just in case, any windowless vans? Same thing, and remember don't hit the wireless unlock until you are in sight of the car. This gives you the option of using the panic button included on most wireless key fobs and keeps uninvited creeps from crawling into your car before you get to it.

Ladies, never walk between a parked car and a van on your way to your car. You can be grabbed, dragged into the van and taken with few or no witnesses. Remember, Just don't do it!

If you are walking alone across a parking area or through a courtyard it is a good idea to keep a can of pepper spray or a kubotan in your hand and ready to use. It may sound paranoid but it is better to have it and not need it than the other way round. You usually run into a bad guy when you are not expecting it and not prepared, and of course this is by design; it is exactly what predators look for when choosing a victim. A violent surprise can terrify and break a person's will to defend them self effectively.

Walking across campuses in the dark can pose a potential threat to ones safety as there are many individuals attending school but no way of knowing who may harbor criminal intent. It is better not to test your luck by trusting that nothing will happen to you, be aware! Being aware of your surroundings is often all it takes to dissuade an attack. Keeping your distance from a stranger in the dark and running away if they approach is not always graceful but it is affective in keeping you safe. It is also a good idea to keep a personal alarm in your hand or attached to your clothing. You can quickly trigger the alarm to startle an attacker and attract attention, or if attached to clothing, pull it away to trigger the alarm by removal of the safety pin actuator from the unit. This kind of alarm is best if you are actually attacked as the alarm will easily be pulled from its' pin and screech at an ear piercing level. It is only quieted again by carefully placing the pin back in its' channel, and if an attacker would turn his attention to doing that, you have an opportunity to get away!

Last we will discuss what to do if attacked. First know that the momentum is on the side of the attacker. It is faster to act than to react, so as long as an assailant has you reacting to his blows and backing you up, you are at a disadvantage. It is important to seize the initiative and rapidly counter. The best counter strike is a front kick to the groin. If grabbed from behind in a bear hug, drop your weight, bend forward and shoot your arms out Superman Fashion and butt-thrust at that same time, this releases the attacker's arms from you and the butt thrust forces him back away from you, a brilliant move!

If grabbed around the neck or head, step sideways enough to slap the groin with one hand as many times as you like until the assailant lets go. If you posses skills you can turn and attack; kicks, elbow strikes, hammer-strikes etc... or just run but remember the groin; it will stop the biggest man if hit squarely.

Palm strikes: I train in Krav Maga and we employ closed fist as well as palm strikes. I can tell you that palm strikes pack more punch and are an all around better strike; safer on the wrists and more surface to hit your target. With this in mind, hit an attacker's nose. A strike to the nose can topple a person, it is a sensitive part and you can control the head by pushing the nose violently backward; where the head goes, so goes the body. A hard strike to the nose will also impair a person's vision for a short time, often long enough to escape.

A key point here is to surprise your attacker. Fighting back an unarmed attack is the first act in turning the table and instilling doubt in the assailant, and this can cause a bad guy to disengage. Hopefully however you will never be in this deep.

Remember: Be aware, carry pepper spray, a kubotan or a small high decibel personal alarm and never ever let an attacker take you to another location if you are assaulted. If a stranger confronts you and tries to persuade you or force you to another location, fight for your life.