Which statement best describes the difference between evasion and redirection?

• A. Evasion shifts the body; redirection uses hands to move the subject away
• B. Evasion uses chemical agents; redirection uses verbal commands
• C. Evasion is for compliance; redirection is for de-escalation
• D. Evasion and redirection are the same

Answer: (A)

Evasion is about creating space by moving your body to avoid contact, using footwork and angles to stay out of reach. Redirection, on the other hand, involves using your hands or touch to guide or move the other person away from you or toward a safer position, with the goal of reducing risk and gaining control.

This distinction matters because evasion preserves your personal space without forcing the other person to move, while redirection actively changes the other person’s path to help de-escalate or interrupt an unsafe situation.

The other statements don’t fit: chemical agents aren’t a defining part of evasion, and verbal commands aren’t the defining aspect of redirection; saying evasion is for compliance or that the two are the same also mischaracterizes their purposes and functions.