Self Defense for Women
Resistance of some kind stops assaults most of the time
Self defense for women is a topic that generates a lot of myths and
misinformation. One dangerous myth is, “Don’t fight back, it’ll
just be worse.”
After a particularly violent assault or during times when a serial
rapist is traumatizing a community, self defense instructors will
often approach local rape crisis centers offering free self defense
for women or for anyone else being targeted. It is common for local
rape crisis centers and police departments to issue the following
statement: "These young women should NOT learn to defend
themselves because the rapist might turn violent!"
Can you believe it? I wonder where these people get their
information. Research about self-defense and assault shows very
clearly and conclusively that determined resistance works most of the
time when the intent of the attacker is personal harm.
The frustrated question most instructors ask themselves is:
"What do people think RAPE is if not violent?"
Many instructors point out, "We are the only animal that
raises our young, especially our females, without self preservation
skills. We are the only animal that teaches them that if they are
attacked, it's better NOT to resist?"
I think that's a great example. Imagine you're a Mommy Wolverine
telling your young daughter wolverine not to fight back if attacked -
that she'll be better off if she doesn't make the attacker mad. A
comparison like this can often help someone see the how ludicrous the
societal myths are.
It wouldn't be valid for a wolverine, and it's no more valid in
self defense for women. In most attacks where the intent is personal
harm rather than robbery, the more ways you fight (the look in your
eyes, voice, body language, hands, knees, teeth, etc.) and the more
intensely you fight back, the less your chance of coming to harm.
That's a simple fact shown over and over again in research results.
When the intent is robbery rather than personal harm, your risk of
injury goes up if you fight back – which is why we recommend that
you give up your stuff without fighting if someone is threatening you
in a robbery.
Your first choice is to leave the confrontation if you can, by
running away, yelling, or pulling away. If an unarmed attacker is
grabbing you, an initial move can be a heel-palm to the nose or a
full-force jab to the eyes with your bunched fingers. You can also
strike to the head and groin - or grab and twist the testicles with
all your adrenaline-driven strength.
In an attack, you have to be willing to risk some injury in order
to escape. If someone is pointing a gun or waving a knife at you, it
is safer to yell and run away most of the time, even if you have to
jump through a window to do so. If someone is grabbing you with a gun
to your head, remember that the gun is a lot more dangerous when it is
pointed at someone rather than away from someone. If someone is
holding a knife to your throat, you might want to grab the knife, even
if it means cutting your hands.
If an attacker is trying to control you by threatening another
person, usually the safest thing you can do for everyone is to escape
yourself instead of allowing yourself to be made more helpless by
letting someone tie you up or take you away. The fact that one of you
has gotten away and can go get help makes it more dangerous for the
attacker to continue.
Self defense for women, men, and children is a subject that
generates not just myths but also actual research. Studies show
that resistance works against sexual assault most of the time. The
more powerful the resistance and the more ways you resist, the less
the chance of coming to harm. According to the FBI in the
United States, just one strong move of ANY kind stops most attacks!
©
Copyright 2004. All rights reserved.
A publication of KIDPOWER TEENPOWER FULLPOWER International
www.kidpower.org
831-426-4407
Permission to reproduce granted with copyright notice and contact
information
at beginning and end of each article used.
|
