Defenders and groups under threat use different coping strategies to deal with the risks they perceive that they face. These strategies will vary a lot depending on their environment (rural, urban), the type of threat, the social, financial and legal resources available, etc.

Most coping strategies can be implemented immediately and in response to short term objectives. They will therefore function more like tactics than as detailed response strategies. Most strategies also respond to individual people’s subjective perceptions of risk, and could at times cause the group some level of harm, especially if the strategies used cannot be reversed.

Coping strategies are closely related to the type and severity of threat and to the group’s capacities and vulnerabilities.

When thinking about security and protection you must take into account both your own and other people’s coping strategies. Reinforce the effective ones, try to limit harmful ones and try to respect the remaining ones (especially coping strategies linked to cultural or religious beliefs).

Some coping strategies:

• Reinforcing protective barriers, hiding valuables.
  
• Avoiding behaviour which could be questioned by another actor, especially if control of the territory where you are working is under military dispute.
  
• Going into hiding during high risk situations, including in places that are difficult to access, like mountains or jungle, changing houses, etc. Sometimes whole families go into hiding, and sometimes just defenders. Hiding could take place at night or go on for several weeks, and might involve no outside contact.
  
• Looking for armed or political protection from one of the armed actors.
  
• Suspending activities, closing down the office, evacuating. Forced migration (internal displacement or as refugees) or going into exile.
  
• Relying on “good luck” or resorting to “magic” beliefs.
  
• Becoming more secretive, including with colleagues; going into denial by refusing to discuss threats; excessive drinking, overwork, erratic behaviour.

  Defenders also have access to response strategies. These can include issuing reports to publicise a specific issue, making allegations, staging demonstrations, etc. In many cases these strategies do not amount to a long term strategy, but respond to short term needs. In some cases the response strategies might even create more security problems than those they were intended to address.

  When analysing coping and response strategies, take the following into account:
  

• Sensitivity: Can your strategies respond quickly to individual or group security needs?
• Adaptability: Can your strategies be quickly adapted to new circumstances, once the risk of attack is over? A defender may have several options available, for example to either hide or to live at other people’s houses for a while. Such strategies may seem weak or unstable, but often have great endurance.
• Sustainability: Can your strategies endure over time, despite threats or non-lethal attacks?
• Effectiveness: Can your strategies adequately protect the people or groups in question?
  
• Reversibility: If your strategies don’t work or the situation changes, can your strategies be reversed or changed?