Mindset – Cranford Blackmon

3 Behaviors That Say Your Life May Be In Danger

September 18, 2017

If you have read our article Baselines in the Game of Safety, you learned that finding what is “normal” is a big part of knowing if you are currently in danger. When you know what is “normal” for a situation, you will be able to respond faster and more effectively when something abnormal does show up. In most circumstances people generally display behaviors of “getting along” with others. Some examples: If you are at the grocery store you might find…

The Problems with Police (and Deputies)

July 2, 2017

(Why you MUST be ready to take care of yourself) By Cranford Blackmon Before we get started, let me say 2 things: 1) I used to be a police officer (so this is all true) 2) This article doesn’t put down police officers (get lost police haters!) Still interested? Then read on. We like to think that the police (or any law enforcement officers) are there to take care of us. I mean we’ve all heard of the police motto…

She said NO, but they didn’t take her seriously!

May 21, 2017

The day our daughter told two boys to “stop!” (Update: Some of our programs have changed. Subscribe to our email list to stay up to date.) One third of our Fortress Building Class is focused on creating personal boundaries. There is a personal reason that we spend that much time on this important piece of self-protection. It started with our daughter. It started as fun. When our oldest daughter was a senior in high school, she had two close friends…

An Uncomfortable Conversation

May 7, 2017

Self-Protection Includes Communication Even When It is Difficult Sarah Beaulieu is a Boston-based writer, speaker and advocate who has spent the last several years interviewing men and women about sexual violence. We found her TED Talk the other day and loved the message she is sharing. In a world where 1 in 4 women and 1 in 6 men have been sexually assaulted, society is looking for a way to stop the violence. It starts with being willing to have…

Personal Accountability vs Government Programs for Women’s Safety

March 13, 2017

By Cranford Blackmon If you have read our website (www.LaBCaF.com) or taken our classes, you know we created LaBCaF to teach women to help themselves avoid danger, AND to stop someone who is actively trying to hurt, kill, or abduct them. We don’t teach sport combatives, or fitness classes. Our belief is that the prime responsibility of keeping someone safe belongs to THAT person! I am responsible for MY safety. You are responsible for YOUR safety. The only instance where…

Being Strong Enough to Win

March 6, 2017

by Penny Blackmon (Update: Some of our programs have changed. Subscribe to our email list to stay up to date.) It is common for women to feel that if they were attacked, they wouldn’t be strong enough to fight off their attacker. They can feel that it would be easy to be over powered by a man, that they are weaker and more vulnerable. We have had students tell us that after taking Modules 3 & 4 (Legs and Brains…

The Power of Intentional Change

December 29, 2016

There are certain times of the year when we usually think about making some changes in our lives. Whether it is New Year’s, a birthday, or something worse, like bad news from our doctor or a run-in with a dangerous criminal. Both good and bad events can “inspire” us to reevaluate what we’re doing in life as well as what we’re NOT doing. I think we have a very different emotional response to the things we change depending on what…

Can Colleges Be Safe from Violence?

December 3, 2016

(Update: Some of our programs have changed. Subscribe to our email list to stay up to date.) On November 28, 2016, Ohio State University joined the list of schools who have experienced violence on a large scale. This time, the attacker used a vehicle and then a knife. In the 2013 attacks at Lone Star College in Cypress Texas, the attacker used a razor type knife. In the 2007 Virginia Tech attack in Blacksburg Virginia, the attacker used firearms. Colleges…

Cover & Concealment: It’s not just for the military anymore!

August 8, 2016

It’s a sad commentary on the state of the world that so many terms and issues that originally belonged to the military (like “cover & concealment”) have not only become common in the world of law enforcement, they have now become common in everyday civilians’ lives. I was just going over the FBI’s 2014 report on Active Shooter Study (covering 2000-2013). Surely enough, there is a continuous rise in the number and frequency of these shootings. If you’d like to…

Are you willing to be a hero?

June 17, 2016

Being a “hero.” That’s sounds like a real stretch for most people. When you think of the term “hero,” what picture comes to mind? A policeman? A fireman? A rescue worker? A soldier? They can all certainly be heroes. But the term “hero” doesn’t just belong to those men and women in high-risk careers. It belongs to that person who stopped to help a stranger, who helped to feed the hungry, and so many more. “Hero” isn’t a term we…

Testimonial – For the first time ever, I truly believe that if someone were to break in my house, I could escape and fight to protect myself

March 25, 2016

It was 8:00pm on a Saturday night, and I was already curled up in bed reading a book. My husband is in the army and was at an out-of-state, month-long training, and, while I enjoyed relaxing nights by myself, I also hated being alone in our house. Halfway through my novel, I heard a crunching outside my window, like someone stepping on leaves. I automatically froze up and panicked. What if someone was about to break in? Where would I…

Mindset, because you’re worth it.

February 22, 2016

Mindset. What exactly does it have to do with personal safety? In our classes we focus on empowerment rather than fear. One of the ways we teach empowerment is by talking about mindset. Mindset is not about “wishing,” “hoping,” or “wondering if you will be okay.” It is about setting your mind to win! We teach a variety of ways help you avoid being targeted by a criminal and offer creative solutions to help you win if you are attacked.…