The person with the most "heart" and determination wins no matter the size.
Bullshit. That line of thought gets unprepared people hurt, raped, and killed every day.
BJJ is great against a
single attacker, if they don't get the jump on you, and you have the training to properly apply the techniques. Even at that, someone significantly larger than you can simply power out of many of them. I'm 5'10, 160 pounds, and hane been training in martial arts for 19 years - and I still won't use most BJJ-type techniques against someone much larger than me, because the weight/size factor is always going to be a factor. You can't lock in a submission technique like an armbar (and I do love my armbars
) if the person has the muscle to prevent you from extending the joint all the way. You're not gonna choke someone out if they can just pick you up while you're attached to their neck and hurl you bodily across the room - been there, done that, got the concussion for my efforts.
First off, Mono is absolutely right about the psychological range of combat. In short, don't look like prey, and predators will leave you alone. Don't be overly aggressive, but don't show fear - treat these "men" like the animals they are. Would you show an aggressive dog that you're afraid of it?
Secondly, I can't remember who mentioned talking to your rental company/landlord type person, but this is also a great idea. Nothing hurts business like bad press, and someone getting harrassed like that will generate a LOT of bad press. They don't want that, and will most likely go to great lengths to prevent that sort of thing from happening.
Talk to local police that patrol the area. Let them know what's going on. Most cops have no problem making a nightly pass or two through someplace where a woman is feeling insecure, particularly if that place is where she lives. Also, get to know your neighbors (not the animals you're woried about, obviously) and keep an eye on each other. If you've experienced things like this, it's very unlikely that you are the only one who has. Not only will you and your neighbors looking out for each other make the area safer, but if you and your neighbors all talk to the rental company about the same issues, they'll pretty much have to do something about it. Strength in numbers works just as well for persuasion as it does for other things
Lastly, if you feel the need to prepare yourself for physical violence, there are things you should know:
Even the odds: You're small. Deal with it, don't over look it. You probably can't punch/kick as hard as the other guy can, so cheat: car keys, a retractable baton, a knife, whatever. The MOST IMPORTANT THING to remember about this, though, is that if you aren't prepared to USE a weapon, you have no business pulling it out. Hesitating, even warning them, will most likely result in them taking the weapon from you. If it comes down to a situation like this, don't hesitate, attack.
There are a few points on the human body that, no matter how big, tough, or drugged-out you are, will still physically disable you if they stop working. Your eyes are the primary example - if they grab you, jam a finger, key, or whatever into an eye socket. Don't be shy about it, either - gouge that bitch out of their head. If they can't see, they can't fight back.
The throat. Much more dependable than the groin shot. No matter how big someone is, their voice box doesn't have muscles on it. Jab something in there, whether it's your fist, the end of a baton, or whatever, and they loose the ability to breathe. Blood fills up the esophagus (breathing tube to the lungs), at least temporarily, which gives you time to run away while they're choking on their own blood.
The groin shot is actually a really, really low percentage shot to disable an attacker. Most often, a shot thrown at the groin will hit the penis, not the testicles. This will just piss the guy off. Not a good option.
Remember, these options are LAST RESORTS. The best way to get out of a fight is to never be in the fight to begin with. BE AWARE OF YOUR SURROUNDINGS AT ALL TIMES. If you see this group of thugs hanging out at the door into the apartment building, DON'T GO IN. Come back later - maybe with a cop following you home. Don't open your door if someone is knocking on it, use the peephole. Mohegan and I live in a rough neighborhood, and we have a "call ahead" rule for all of our friends. We don't even answer the door buzzer if we haven't been called ahead of time to know that we're expecting someone, and even then, we use the peephole first before unlocking the door.
Park in a well lit area, the closer to your building's door, the better. If you have/will be purchasing a weapon, make sure it's clearly visible, not just to attackers, but also to any random police officer that pulls you over for speeding or something. They can't cite you for a concealed weapon charge if it's not concealed, and animals like the ones your dealing with will think twice after seeing that you're armed. One of our close friends recently got accosted by a group of five men at night. She's maybe 130 pounds. However, after she snapped out her asp (retractable baton) and brought it up like she knew what she was doing with it - which she does - they decided to leave her the hell alone. She was no longer seen as an easy target.
Be careful, good luck. If you have any more questions, feel free to ask.