Lesson 11: Don’t provoke a potential aggressor.

Even if you’re not the first aggressor, you can forfeit your self-defense claim if you do something to provoke the fight. If you escalate a confrontation with taunts, threats, or aggressive behavior, a prosecutor may argue that you instigated the resulting physical conflict. Even if the other person throws the first blow, your role as a provocateur can undermine your legal defense. Self-defense is about avoiding conflict, not inviting it.