The surprising advantages of female bodyguards
The difference between male and female bodyguards may surprise you. It’s not about good health, physical fitness, defensive skills, scanning ability or discretion what contrasts both genders.
More often, there is a noticeable distinction. The physical anatomy. Men tend to be taller and have more muscles, which offers them more strength, speed and the ability to present an overwhelming appearance.
Although these attributes seem required for many security purposes, this form of overt protection may just have a negative side-effect. Attracting too much attention to your personal safety could harm business negotiations or your image.
The security industry sees that the demand for women bodyguards has increased significantly. Here’s why.
Subtle female bodyguards
Fulfilling the role of a bodyguard requires even more intelligence than body strength. That applies to both man and woman. Being prepared for any situation means using all of your senses constantly. Assessing the current situation of your client and the environment. Keeping updated and knowing who is related to the client and their upcoming activities are all essential aspects.
Soft skills
The major distinction for a female officer is the ability to put her soft skills to use.
One of these soft skills is that females tend to have an intuition for various situations. They can detect when something is ‘off’ in a different way than men do. They listen to their ‘gut feeling’ and act upon it.
Another soft skill is the ability to blend in with the client’s group of family members, clients, friends or staff. Keeping a low profile can suggest to the outside world that security is not in place or has been downsized. This works best if the female bodyguard wears ‘normal clothing’ instead of a uniform or ‘black suit’. Assuming the role of PA, nanny or any other staff member can defer the attention to a high-security appearance. So-called protection in disguise.
Also, especially when assuming a different role than their official function, women protectors can make a better connection with their clients. For instance, female clients or children. Some bodyguard jobs go on for more extended periods of time. Without becoming friends, the female bodyguard can build a subtler relationship which enables her to anticipate to threatening situations even better. In some cases, female clients (or their husbands) don’t feel comfortable having male bodyguards around. They feel more at ease indicating their feelings to their female bodyguards.
Lastly, females tend to handle situations differently. Their approach can take the sting out of a tricky situation. Being disciplined and very aware of what is going on around the client combined with their diplomacy can avert a dangerous situation.
Extra skills
Besides possessing extra skills such as mastery in martial arts (for unarmed protection) and security driving, other ‘normal’ skills make hiring a female bodyguard appealing. Think of skiing, horse riding and water sports.
Situations fit for female bodyguards
Example situations that could benefit from hiring female bodyguard services include:
- Female ambassadors, Royals and (U)NHWIs who require a more covert form of protection.
- Business leaders who have business opportunities in high-risk countries or with infamous business partners. Bringing a high-profile protection team may come across as offensive.
- Female A-list celebrities
- Female politicians or C-suite level executives
- Female VVIPs or Royals who require a female bodyguard due to the religious aspect.
- Children tend to trust a woman sooner than a man. The female ability to show empathy can win the children’s trust more easily. In a dangerous situation, children will do as they’re told and trust the bodyguard instantly.
A team of bodyguards
If you require a subtle approach in protection for you or your family rather than crowd protection or obvious close protection, consider hiring an Infinite Risks female bodyguard. Alternatively, when you do require crowd management or security against threats of kidnapping or stalking, a team of mixed gender bodyguards come highly recommended.
Would you like to know more about the advantages of highly-qualified, licensed protection officers for your purpose? Feel free to contact us with your questions.
