Science Forums 2

[Boerseun]

I live in the most dangerous society on planet Earth, or, as the media will have it, the Murder Capital of the World - South Africa.

Around here, people sit in bars and listen to each others' stories of being attacked, having your family killed, having your wife raped next to you while you're tied up in bed, being hijacked, basically the worst Hollywood can throw at you. It's so rife that those that haven't been victims of this are merely waiting their turn, like sheep.

And you don't have to be rich to be a victim - people are killed here for a handful of change or an old, cracked cellphone.

And even if you really don't have anything, you can still be raped or killed as gang members have to earn their stripes with initiation killings.

My question in this thread is the following:

The housebreaker cum robber cum rapist cum killer will scout out your house for a few days and make his move. The fact remains that once he's inside your house or yard, he's in unfamiliar territory. You have the advantage in that regard, at least. But what can be done to turn this even more in your favour? You are disadvantaged from the get-go in that you're most likely still asleep, and when you wake up from a broken window, you're brain is still struggling to wake up by the time you get the AK47 or stolen 9mm against the temple. How can your familiarity of the surrounds be turned against this guy (or guys)? What other disadvantages would these sods have? Keep in mind that they have absolutely no fear of the police and/or being jailed. People here get a R1,000 fine for not paying their TV licences, but they get off on R500 bail for murder. I kid you not. The joke is doing the rounds that if the TV licence inspector shows up you should kill him - you'll save R500.

From a psychological viewpoint - how can you spin the situation in your favour? Any ideas? In the last week, there's been two murders and five housebreakings on the farms immediately surrounding ours. Our turn is coming up, and I'm not going to sit like a docile sheep and wait to have my throat slit for a DVD player.

Any ideas?