When you know the three steps of an assault, you can anticipate it, handle it and emerge untouched.

This is about Step 3:

You've been Targeted. You've been Tested. Now, suddenly and explosively, the predator turns violent. He curses and heads for you. In ONE SECOND a grown man can close a distance of 20 feet and start to grab, kick, hit, stab you.

Do not expect to defeat him with your bare hands no matter how athletic you are. A few years ago the female karate champion of a large mid-western state was attacked and raped in broad daylight by a male predator of average build (an incident that caused many karate based martial-arts schools to re-think their self-defense curriculum and caused Matt Thomas to develop "Model Mugging").

So whether you're a woman or a man you do not want to face him empty-handed . You need a weapon which means you better HAVE CHOSEN A WEAPON BEFOREHAND.

You just saw him 20 feet away. One second later he's on you - not enough time to fish out your weapon. So in any danger zone YOUR WEAPON MUST ALREADY BE IN YOUR HAND.

IF THIS IS YOUR CHOSEN WEAPON	THIS IS YOUR MOVE
Canister of Pepperspray Walk with it in your right (strong) hand. Hold it unobtrusively, maybe with your keys dangling from it. When the predator moves against you, stretch out your left (weak) hand to hold him off. Immediately bring your strong hand forward and spray him in the face.
Fake Cellphone-Disguised Pepperspray (Hidden Edge® spray+siren device) Hold it in his face and offer: "Here, take my phone!" He doesn't know what's coming. This gives you the opportunity to aim well and robs him of any chance to dodge. Let him have it in the face. He has no chance to dodge.

NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER say:
"Stop or I"ll spray!"

You must spray without warning.