By Aran Dharmeratnam

In over 20 years working in the self-protection field, there is one threat I'm all too familiar with.

It's a threat that continues to be a major one in the UK- knife-based violence. In my work in private investigations and other security roles, I know firsthand what it's like to face real-time aggression. I've also had to handle situations, both here and around the world, where the hostile party was armed with a blade.

After the terror attacks in 2017, I provided edge weapon survival training to Metropolitan police tactical trainers. Even with years of training behind me, I will say that edged weapons scenarios are not easy to handle. People can get stabbed; lives can be lost in seconds.

As I write this, medical staff at Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge are working hard to treat the victims of Saturday evening's disturbing mass stabbing attack on the London North Eastern Railway (LNER) train, heading to London. The general public is all too aware of the knife-based crime that affects cities and towns across the country, but this incident, though not being treated as a terror incident, has shocked people. Politicians across the political spectrum, including His Majesty the King, have expressed their condolences and concerns about the sudden outbreak of sporadic violence.

I always tell my clients situational awareness is vital. With situational awareness, you can avoid many hostile engagements. When you can read the environment, the behaviour and body language, you can often slip away before the aggressor targets you.

We will also talk about route selection, route planning, and what to do when travel plans are disrupted by sudden, random events or........

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