Halloween has turned our attention once more to horror movies, slasher films, and documentaries on some of the most terrifying events in history. The last one includes stories of serial killers. The United States is or was home to some of the most notorious serial killers of our time. They are rare, according to the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in a 2013 study. Still, there will always be the threat that someone out there will become a serial murderer. As such, you should know what it would take to survive a serial killer.
Rodney Alcala is called the “Dating Game Killer” because he appeared on The Dating Game in 1978. This was while he was still on his killing spree. Alcala is convicted of murdering 8 people but is believed to have killed 50 to 130 people from 1968 to 1979.
Jeffrey Dahmer, also known as the “Milwaukee Cannibal” raped, killed, and sometimes ate the bodies of his victims. He was serving 16 life sentences for the murder of 17 young men when he was killed by a fellow inmate in 1994. Apparently, Dahmer spooked out other incarcerated criminals, many of whom considered him the lowest of lows because of his crimes.
The most prolific serial killer in US history so far, as recently confirmed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), is currently in jail. Samuel Little confessed to murdering 93 people from 1970 to 2005. He was sentenced to life imprisonment after being convicted in 2012 for the killing of three women. Now 79 years old, Little has been matched to 50 murder cases during that span of four decades.
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Avoiding A Serial Killer
Trust Your Instincts
There are a number of cases where the potential victim avoided harm. Author Ann Marie Ackermann tells a story of a woman who was partying in a pub in downtown Seattle back in 1974. She got tired early and decided to sleep in the car while waiting for her friends.
She woke up to a man banging on the window asking for a jumper cable. When she told him she couldn’t help, the man stormed off and drove away. That man turned out to be Ted Bundy, who was caught a year later.
Ted Bundy is perhaps of one the most infamous serial killers in US history partly because of his looks and charisma but mainly for his brutal acts. The woman didn’t fall for Bundy’s antics. She had this feeling that the man was dangerous so she didn’t give in to his pleas for help. Her intuition saved her life.
It’s quite difficult really to know if the person you’re talking to is a serial killer. In the case of Bundy, he charmed his way to his victim’s good graces. Other serial murderers are normal people on the outside. Some of these monsters, such as Gary Ridgway (Green River Killer) and Dennis Rader (BTK Killer) are family men with normal jobs and are seen rather kindly by other people.
If you find something amiss, don’t just brush it off. Keep your guards up and trust your gut feeling. They’re almost always right anyway.
Avoid Being A Target
As the old adage goes, “prevention is better than cure.” When it comes to serial killers, however, there’s nothing left to cure if you’re already six feet under. As such, the best way to survive a serial killer is not to make yourself a targeted.
Take all the necessary precautions to keep yourself from being victimized by thugs, robbers, and serial killers. According to self-defense expert Steve Kardian and as reported by NBC News, it takes only seven seconds for a seasoned criminal to decide whether you’d be his or her next target.
Criminals look more at the body movements of the potential victim rather than the build, age or gender. Incredibly, the way you walk is a factor whether you’ll be attacked or not. If your stride is forceful, confident and of medium length, criminals assume you’d be difficult to handle.
Long strides look awkward and make you appear clumsy. Plus, you’ll stick out in a crowd drawing unwanted attention from criminals and possibly serial murderers. Strides that are too short, meanwhile, make you look timid and weak. You may also appear as if you’re hurt making you an even easier target.
Avoid Being Alone
This has nothing to do with your romantic status. Whether you’re single or not, you should never go alone. Like the woman who was almost victimized by Bundy, she was alone sleeping in a locked car making her the perfect target.
Ideally, someone in her group should have taken her home and just went back to the party. In a perfect world, she can sleep in the car or go home alone without anyone bothering her. It’s not your fault that there are killers, rapists and other evil people in the world. However, it wouldn’t hurt if you do what’s necessary to be on the safe side.
At the time, the best the woman could do was to lock the car while she slept. A determined criminal, however, could have easily smashed the window, opened the door, and grabbed her. The point here is to never put yourself in a dangerous situation.
Be Vigilant
Always be on the lookout. We’re not asking you to be paranoid. You just have to be extra careful as you go on with your daily life.
Be wary of the people around you. Put that phone back in your bag or pocket and keep your head up so you can see everything and everyone around you. Something as simple as this could help you spot a potential threat from afar.
Make people, including possible serial killers, know that you are aware of their presence by giving them a split-second glance. Remember, just a moment’s glance is enough to make a predator think twice about targeting you.
Be aware of your surroundings. When you enter a building, you should always look for the exits as well as the obstructions leading ton them. This will not only do you good in case of fire or an active shooter situation, you’ll also know where to go if you’re fleeing a serial killer.
Take note of populated areas, police stations and fire stations. Whenever you feel threatened, go to the nearest crowd or local authority.
Other Tips to Evade A Serial Killer
There are a number of things you should always keep in mind to stay out of trouble. We’ve already mentioned the importance of not being alone. Just to reiterate, you should never walk alone especially through dark alleys.
It doesn’t matter if you’re familiar with the place. You’ll always be a target if you’re alone. In case you have no other choice, make sure to tell someone of your route or possible whereabouts. Tell them what time you’d be at your destination and that they should expect a message from you. Also, mention the estimated time you should be expected back.
Avoid talking to strangers online as much as possible. If it’s an online transaction and you have to do a meet-up, never go alone. Bring a friend, preferably someone who also knows a thing or two about self defense.
Never give away or post personal information online. Avoid posting your whereabouts on social media or saying that you’re all alone at your place.
Don’t talk to strangers on the street. If you’re lost, ask help from someone in authority. Otherwise, enter an establishment and ask for help from the owner or staff. Also, learn how to use GPS and Google Maps. You can also ask Siri, Cortana, Bixby, and others like them.
If someone you don’t know asks for your help, say no. Bundy used that strategy a lot. He would pretend to be disabled and ask his victims to help him up the stairs or carry some stuff. In the aborted abduction, Bundy asked for help with his car.
Another common scenario is asking for help finding a lost pet, which apparently works with young victims. Also, don’t entertain strangers asking for directions, especially if there’s no one else nearby. Again, there’s GPS, Google Maps and virtual assistants.
Don’t let strangers in your home. Lock your doors always. If there’s a supposed delivery or service that you are not expecting, call the company to verify.
Never open the doors for a stranger even if they’re asking for help. If they do seem in trouble, offer to call the cops or 911 instead. This way, you’re still safe inside your home while they will eventually get help if they’re indeed in trouble.
Don’t park too far from where you’re going. The walk back is a good opportunity for serial killers to strike. If you can, park under or near a source of light like a lamppost. It’ll be easier for you to locate your vehicle as well as see if someone is hovering near or even inside it.
Keep your car keys in your hands when you’re going to your vehicle. Don’t waste time outside your car. Enter and lock the doors immediately. Keep them locked until you get off.
Do the same when arrive home. Get your house keys and look around before getting down your car. Once you’re inside, lock the doors immediately.
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Escape and Survive A Serial Killer
By the Numbers
According to a study by German criminologist Stephan Harbort, there’s a 15.9% chance of surviving a serial killer after being abducted or assaulted. He arrived at this figure after studying the case of 155 German serial killers that committed a total of 674 crimes, particularly assault and murder.
In the same study, Harbort discovered that a serial killer will have made contact with an average of 31 possible victims before succeeding in abducting one. Harbort admits that the figures would be better if he included cases in which people evaded being victims such as the woman mentioned above.
Of the 15.9% of serial killer attack survivors, 43% of them managed to get out of their ordeal alive because the attack didn’t result to fatal injuries. Those who physically and verbally fought back comprised 36% of the survivors.
Fifteen per cent survived after the serial killer presumed the victims were dead while the same percentage was scared off by another person.
Get Out
Like the 2017 horror film starring Daniel Kaluya, you need to get out of a potentially dangerous situation before it escalates. If you feel threatened, run away and head for a busy public place or the nearest police or fire station.
Hide from your attacker if you can’t find a crowded place or there’s nobody else around. If you’re in your home, you should have a plan of escape. Make sure the paths to the exit points are free of obstacles.
You can also build a panic room or something of the sort. This room should be impenetrable. Double the locks and use long screws to secure the door and door frame. If possible, replace the wooden with steel ones. You don’t want a “Here’s Johnny” scene where the serial killer destroys your wooden door with an axe.
Your panic room should be equipped with a fully charged phone, which should be on silent, so you can call for help without getting the intruder’s attention. There should also be weapons and other survival gear, which we’ll talk about later, in your designated panic room.
Get Proper Training
As mentioned, a percentage of survivors in the Harbort study are still alive today because they fought back against their attacker. Increase your chances by getting at least some basic training.
Self-Defense Training
Start off by taking self-defense classes. You can watch YouTube videos and try to learn the many techniques but it would be better to enroll in an actual class so you can experience it first-hand.
There are different disciplines and techniques that are suited for self-defense. Many of these classes teach specific moves that counter specific attacks. You’ll learn what to do when someone grabs you from behind or when the attacker is in front of you. They will teach you how to safely respond when someone is holding a knife to your throat or pointing a gun to the back of your head and other similar situations.
Martial Arts Training
There are numerous martial Arts disciplines that are effective in defending oneself. According to Mantelligence, Muay Thai is the best practice one for self defense. In Muay Thai, you’re not confined to your fists and feet. You’ll learn how to use different parts of the body as weapons. See Tony Jaa beat the bleep out of his opponents using “The Art of Eight Limbs” in the video clip from Ong Bak below.
https://youtu.be/j7d_UacumGk
There’s a reason why the Gracie family lorded over combat sports for quite some time now. Their Brazilian jiu-jitsu is one of the most effective forms of martial arts we’ve seen. In fact, The Self Defence Expert ranks BJJ as the seventh best art for self defense.
Other popular martial arts you can take up for self defense (no for picking up fights) include Krav Maga, boxing, Defence Lab, Keysi Fighting Method, Jeet Kune Do by Bruce Lee.
These classes also instill confidence in you. This newfound swag may show in your actions and mannerisms, which will help make you less of a target of serial killers.
Stay Physically and Mentally Fit
A healthy and fit body is more capable of dealing with threats such as serial killers. Aside from taking self defense and martial arts training, you should also exercise regularly to keep your mind and body ready for such threats.
Emergency Kits
Another way to survive a serial killer is to have the appropriate survival gear. The better equipped you are, the higher the chances of escaping or surviving these menaces to society.
Everyday Carry Kit
If you’re on foot, you need your everyday carry kit with you, always. This is basically a smaller and lighter version of your bug out bag.
Always pack something that you can use to fend off an attacker. A pepper spray or mace is a good thing to have. A pocket knife can also be useful though you need to make sure they are allowed in your state. It’s legal to carry a stun gun or taser in some states. If you live in one of these states, you should get one.
Other EDC items you need in your kit are tactical pen, tactical flashlight, lighter, phone and charger, cash, identification cards, a list of emergency contact numbers. A multi-tool such as the popular Swiss knife is also a must-have. You need a pen and paper in case you need to leave notes or jot down important details such as your abductor’s plate number. Check this out for a more comprehensive list of everyday carry items.
(Related: Everyday Carry: Top 10 EDC Items For The Prepper Newbie)
Car Emergency Kit
Based on The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Wrong Turn, Dead End, The Hills Have Eyes and other similar horror flicks, getting lost on the road, running out of gas, or having your car break down in the middle of nowhere can be deadly. Serial killers aside, this situation can indeed be fatal if you don’t know what to do and don’t have a car emergency kit.
Make sure you have a complete set of tools for your car. A spare tire, sealant, and an air pump or tire inflator will help you get to a safer place in case your tire blows up. You also need jumper cables, and extra supplies of motor oil and coolant.
Some people are divided on keeping extra fuel in the vehicle. It’s not advised considering the potential to exposed plus the hazards of inhaling the fumes. If you’re going on a long road trip, however, you can do so as long as you store it in the proper container such as a jerry can. Place the tightly covered gas can upright on the rack on top of your car and tie securely.
Your car emergency kit should also include a flashlight, an emergency light suitable for car repairs, and some fire starters in case you’re stuck in snow and need fire to warm you up or set a serial killer on fire.
You also need a pocket knife, multi-tool, and shovel. These survival tools can help you fight off an attacker or cut yourself free if you’re tied up. In most cases, however, abductors don’t know how to tie a rope properly.
Do what you can to ensure that your abductor can’t tie the rope tightly. Angle your lower wrist at 45 degrees when your hands are being tied in front of you. Once you straighten your wrist, the restraint will not be that tight giving you a way to break loose. The video below will show you how to escape from one.
Don’t forget to pack food, water, medicines, and a first aid kit. You’ll also need maps, fully charged phones with extra batteries and chargers, GPS device, car escape tool, compass, emergency whistle, signal mirror, and lots of other survival gear.
Breathe deeply and take this in – there is a way to escape and survive a serial killer. All you have to do is accept the fact that these horrible things are happening and, in fact, can happen to you. The sooner you realize this, the sooner you can prepare yourself.
Follow Gentleman Pirate Club for more survival tips that can help you escape or survive a serial killer. You’ll also find other lists of survival gear that you should definitely own.
