HARD TARGET LIVING

HARD TARGET LIVING PHILOSOPHY

The goal of life is to live and thrive - not to worry that one day you will have to survive or defend yourself against a violent or predatory criminal. For that reason, HTL programs are life-centric as opposed to crime-centric. We place our training emphasis on teaching every day people from all walks of life to identify and reduce personal vulnerability factors and identify and enhance personal protective factors within themselves. Equipped with this knowledge, individuals become empowered to independently minimize their risk of harm from threats of any kind, for a lifetime. HTL students learn to adopt an internal locus of control mindset and to create a lifestyle that easily and organically prevents and avoids violent or criminal attention in the first place.

Programs developed from the HTL curriculum approach violence prevention training from a public health lens rather than a criminal justice or defensive tactics lens. ALL individuals, not just those identified as more likely to experience or perpetuate violence, are equipped with information and strategies to proactively minimize the likelihood a violent or criminal situation can develop and cause them harm.

HTL programs shine a light on the the false narrative perpetuating many self-defense, active shooter, or run/hide/fight programs and which drives up sales of such training through fear; the narrative that any potential threat has more power to cause harm to others, than innocent individuals have to prevent or avoid active violence. The truth of the matter is, a potential threat has much less power and much less time to control the outcome of their criminal intent, than those who might be chosen as targets have to prevent or avoid being harmed. HTL programs reveal this truth and more to return power where it belongs -- with the individuals who have been led to believe it's just a matter of time and bad luck before they will have to respond to a violent threat and there's nothing they can do to prevent or avoid it.

Peace cannot be achieved through violence, it can only be attained through understanding.

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

SCHOOL Programs

CORPORATE Programs

The U.S. Secret Service has been recommending a threat assessment approach to prevent targeted school violence since 2002. While threat assessments are a critical component for ensuring school safety, this approach alone makes a "few" responsible for the safety of "many" and does nothing to reduce students' risk of harm outside of school. HTL school programs bridge the gap between a school's threat assessment program and other risk mitigation practices to empower not only educators and staff but the entire student body. Instead of holding a small handful of people responsible for the safety of the entire school, HTL programs equip students with knowledge to actively contribute to a culture of school safety and to independently minimize their risk of harm, whether at school or elsewhere .

According to research conducted by the CDC, the cost to the nation from violent deaths in 2017 equaled $90 billion dollars in medical care and lost work alone. One can reasonably assume those costs have skyrocketed even higher in the past four years. The "Run, Hide, Fight" program, launched in 2008 to combat instances of targeted workplace shootings, has had little measurable impact reducing instances of workplace violence yet, it has become the "standard" workplace safety training and has even been adopted by schools. It's time for a paradigm shift and HTL workplace violence programs are leading the way. Unlike programs designed to prepare individuals only to respond to active violence, HTL programs empower people with knowledge and strategies to prevent or avoid violent situations, in the workplace and everywhere else.

COMMUNITY Programs

The basis for a public health approach to violence prevention is that violence is a community wide issue best handled collectively and holistically within the community itself. HTL community programs can be scaled and customized to accommodate the needs of any community group. HTL community programs are appropriate for church communities, girl and boy scout groups, retirement home communities, HOAs, small business owners associations, and more.

PRIVATE Consulting

Private consulting services for individuals or families in crisis are available on an hourly basis. A sliding fee scale is available for those in need. Contact HTL to arrange a free 45-minute phone consultation with HTL creator, Donna Miles to determine if private services will be of benefit. My goal will be to give you knowledge and skills to independently manage your personal safety and give you peace of mind.