People need to learn to increase defenses and decrease offenses when dealing with an assault situation and learn how to do this when they're young so they can avoid legal traps. Civilians are not the military and even officers can use the training to avoid unnecessary violence.
The law says that you can only use the minimum force necessary to get away from your attacker.
Step 1. Realize that you are in an assault situation. The attacker is provoking you by daring you to fight, is moving toward you to hit you, picks up a blunt object or weapon, throws something at you, etc. The attacker may be yelling at you.
Step 2. BACK OFF 10 FEET. Increase the distance between you and the attacker. Try to put 2 large objects between you and him or her. One will do but 2 are better. Make sure you are next to an exit and not a dead end.
If you are under assault, attacker is hitting you and everything, use enough force to break free, then back away 10 feet. A self-defense instructor may help you with this step. It can get pretty complex.
Step 3. This is very important. If possible avoid the stairs. Stairs = Danger when in an assault situation. Also, you want to avoid the legal traps associated with an assault situation on the stairs.
Step 4. Continue increasing the distance between you and the attacker until it's too inconvenient for him or her to follow you. Avoid speaking to him or her.
Step 5. Finish line! You've succeeded in doing what every judge wants people to do in an assault situation: Escape! You've also escaped losing your job (by getting arrested) because you "may" have used too much force, avoided an accident (that you may have been charged for) by skipping the dangerous stairs. You didn't provoke your attacker verbally. It's now, your choice to dial 2-1-1, 9-1-1 or just plain leave (as in a family situation) to allow for a cooling off period, so you can talk to the attacker later (perhaps keep the attacker from losing his or her job by getting arrested.)
If you're almost indigent, you may have avoided going homeless or losing you belongings.
Your husband or wife didn't lose his or her job.
The kids don't have a criminal record that will affect their employment record.
You held off the other person for X minutes.
You're not in the expensive hospital getting medical attention.
The other person has time to apologize.
