Susan Bartelstone
Crime Prevention and Personal Safety Specialist ** Radio Talk Show Host ** Author ** Lecturer
My name is Susan Bartelstone and back when I was 19 years old, I had a bad breakup with a guy that involved both physical and emotional bruises.
I became determined to learn how to protect myself and now have more than 17 years combined training in WWII Combatives, self defense and martial arts and I'm certified as a Crime Prevention Specialist by the International Society of Crime Prevention Practitioners. And, since then, I've deterred five extremely dangerous criminal encounters, fought my way out of a surprise attack, and taught safety skills to thousands of women and men.
Based on my personal experiences, I wrote Think Fast and Prevent a Violent Crime: How to Respond to Danger in 20 Seconds (or Less!) which features 60 success stories and examples illustrating the techniques that I teach (www.susanbartelstone.com). I've published more than 200 articles on crime prevention topics and you might have seen me on The Today Show or America’s Most Wanted, in Self Magazine, Shape Magazine or a long and varied list of other media.
I'm also the host of Crime Prevention 101, a talk radio show on the top-rated VoiceAmerica.com station, where I speak about hot crime topics, people making the headlines; trends and legal developments that are going to impact all of our lives in the future; and true crime stories that demand to be heard whether heartbreaking, infuriating, inspiring or just plain weird. (http://tinyurl.com/crimeprevention101)
Many years ago, the media dubbed me the “Ann Landers of Self Defense” because I've helped countless people solve their personal safety dilemmas on such topics as domestic abuse, rape, date rape, dating violence, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), online dating safety, self defense and much more.
All this, and…I'm only 5' tall!
Questions I like to answer:
1. What is the Think Fast — Talk Fast — Fight Smart personal safety system?
2. Can you really prevent a violent crime in 20 seconds by thinking fast?
3. What can you do to avoid being selected as a crime target?
4. How can you talk your way to safety when confronted by a dangerous criminal?
5. What do you do if you're face to face with a mugger?
6. What do you do if you're face to face with a carjacker?
7. How do you keep your home safe from intruders, both when you're home and when away?
8. How do you use your brains instead of your muscles in a fight?
9. What do you do if you're facing an assailant with a weapon?
10. How do you fight off an attacker and what are some of the dirty tricks you can use to tip the scales in your favor?
I also take personal safety and crime prevention questions on-the-fly from audience members and help them come up with options and a safety plan.
