When a person protects himself from some kind of attack, he is said to practice a form of self-defense.
The concept of self-defense presents four different contexts: as a fighting technique, as a legal strategy , as a defense mechanism for an organism or as a system of citizen protection against criminal gangs.
Martial arts and self defense techniques
There are martial arts and fighting methods that are not designed to attack anyone but rather their approach is based on personal defense, self-defense. Judo, taekwondo, jiu jitsu or aikido are examples of martial arts that allow defense without weapons and in a spirit of non- violence .
Some of the martial arts techniques are used so that some groups can defend themselves against possible attacks (for example, police forces learn techniques to defend themselves against violent attacks).
A legal strategy
In the legal systems it is established that every individual has the right to be defended in the courts of justice. Along these lines, it is possible for a person to decide their own defense. This circumstance is covered by the legal framework and, in fact, in a misdemeanor trial the affected person does not need a lawyer to be defended but he can do it himself.
Self-defense mechanisms of the human body
The bodies in general and the human body in particular activated biological strategies to defend themselves against aggression or unpleasant situations. These types of mechanisms are instinctive and are carried out spontaneously (for example, adopting a fetal posture and with bent legs to increase body temperature and protect us from the cold).
The self-defense mechanisms are multiple: dilation of the pupils in the face of imminent danger , pain as a warning of a physical problem, coughing when we have breathing difficulties or the creation of antibodies to defend the body. All cells and the entire human body in general have a biological structure that enables self-defense.
Citizen self-defense
News reports often appear in the media in which it is mentioned that a group of citizens is organizing to protect themselves from criminal gangs or organized mafias. Citizens who decide to defend themselves are known as self-defense groups, which act as a kind of
community police in a situation of oppression or, in some cases, these groups are also related to criminal activities. The existence of self-defense groups in a region is a clear symptom of citizen insecurity and social danger.