training – Page 23 – SemperVerus

The 5 Elements of Self-Defense Law

Attorney Andrew Branca has distilled the self-defense laws in all USA 50 states. He says, “There are at most 5 elements to any self-defense case (and often not even that many). That’s true in every one of the 50 states, and all US territories.”

[ Read SemperVerus articles on the topic of the SELF-DEFENSE ]

Be sure you adhere to them if you believe you are honestly and reasonably confronted by a situation where you need to prevent an immediate, otherwise unavoidable danger of death, great bodily harm (generally considered a crippling or disfiguring injury), or, in some states, sexual assault to yourself or another innocent person you have the right to protect.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, The 4 Basic Rules of Gun Safety ]

The 5 Elements of Self-Defense Law are:

Innocence
Imminence (ability, opportunity, jeopardy [manifest intent])
Proportionality
Avoidance
Reasonableness (subjective and objective)

Situational Awareness Skills: Teaching Kids Observation Skills

On The Women’s Outdoor News website, this article suggests using games to help teach children to be aware of their surroundings.

These games take place when were out-and-about, especially when traveling. My boys are 21- and 22-years-old, and we still partake in them from time-to-time.

Soon after being seated on an airplane, I ask my boys to close their eyes. I then ask them to tell me where the nearest exit is, and how many other exits there are.
Part way through dinner at a restaurant we’ve never visited, I ask them to look down at the table. Then I ask where the nearest exit is – besides the one we came in through. I also ask them to describe some of the people sitting around us.