The modern concept of Civil Protection arises in the wake of the First World War, when the United Nations (UN) signed on August 12, 1949 Protocol 1, in addition to the Treaty of Geneva, as “Protection of victims of conflict armed forces “and as a disposition to facilitate the work of the Red Cross and the assistance to the victims in said conflict.
Today this protocol is still used in arms countries although, generally in other more democratic places it is known as a red code, civil protection or civil defense, which is used to help in cases of natural or other disasters.
In personal defense, civil protection or civil prevention, has a similar background but is based on a perimeter space itself or also called individual security, which explains what should not be done, or the opposite of what could be done to minimize any type of risk.
The individual civil defense, was born due to all social conflicts from the past. It is unquestionably the struggle for subsistence linked to the innate common sense of the human being for its own protection in any type of environment.
In the contemporary era, several analysts and experts took into account the importance of family or individual precautionary measures related to risks, which is why we have different typologies to safeguard physical integrity, based on in-depth studies that try to achieve lesser impacts of any disaster.
For self-defense specifically speaking, it uses as an instrument all possible measures to prevent everything that includes the external, referring to all those odds against which threaten the safety of any individual. These bases are firmly planted by studies and statistics of the social environment, whose primordial observations are focused on the behavior, trends and changes of the system.
To attack an enemy, we must know it first. Basic analogy to understand what our weaknesses are and change them for more logical and forceful actions to avoid any altercation, among them we could name some no less important such as, ignorance, exposure, distraction, physical condition, control of fear, use of elements, mood, etc. They are factors that can not be left aside and that must be present as theory and practice within the training.
Currently there are courses taught by professionals who detail very important aspects with very simple but very significant examples of their own safety, which allows us to understand how a risky situation can be avoided thanks to the fast and intelligent action without the need to confront a fight or in the worst case, end in a fatality or a legal problem.
Unfortunately, much of this information is extracted from the Internet and does not necessarily meet the established standards of the study of civil prevention and in several cases lack a reliable source and sometimes it is denoted that it is a simple empirical assessment of anyone who wrote what at that moment the muses dictated.
Civil prevention, should be taken as seriously as possible, since its intention is to try to save lives or at least reduce casualties and therefore the importance of including this type of topic in the classes to students with more realistic training, together with the analysis of the modus operandi of the unscrupulous, at least to have a precautionary notion and convert all possible civil weaknesses into strengths.
Any master dedicated to the teaching of street personal defense, has as an obligation to guide their pupils in a correct and honest line of training, without false ideas of techniques and wonderful styles assuring they will be the best tools to protect a life. However, it is true that the physical condition and how to defend oneself differs from a common civilian practitioner but it can not be determined that the fight is the only and last resort to escape unharmed from a confrontation and much less to forget that in the street there are no rules. It is for this reason and many more the need to strengthen the guidelines not only with physical practices but also in intellectual areas that broaden the mind of the practitioner and know how he can evade situations beyond any control.
In these times the increase in insecurity is increasing thanks to the weak system and almost forgotten by governments. The laws are no longer firm or reliable foundations for anyone, the police force ceased to be a citizen security entity long ago and the policy is totally dedicated to their interests leaving the people aside. These three reasons are sufficient to understand that we are relatively alone and that we must look for viable and responsible ways for our security.
The danger is a reality, but it does not mean that we should live with fear or paralyze ourselves with panic, it is to understand that it exists and that we are obliged to be more astute and cautious, to enjoy a normal life and undertake our daily activities.