Our hearts go out to women and their families that we see in the newspaper and TV news who are sexually assaulted and some even murdered. What can be done? The News gave some helpful information that I have included below.
The worst possible attitute one can have is:
"It won't happen to me."
Educate yourself and be prepared! This information was on the 10:00 PM News.
* Keep yourself AWARE of your surroundings: Don't use headphones.
* Have a whistle or alarm
* Carry Pepper Spray
* Walk Against Traffic
* Don't Jog alone
* Consider the time of day when more people are around.
You can lessen your chances of being a statistic by
-
having the right attitude,
-
learning physical defense tactics
-
learning how to use weapons to protect yourself.
Attitude
-
Develop Security Awareness! Focus on a consciousness of your surroundings. Think of possible potential threats to your safety.
-
Your mind is the greatest defensive weapon. "The more confident you appear, the better off you are." Look at people around you.
-
Use common sense at all times, such as where you park your car.
-
Good self-defense programs work to build confidence instead of cowering and giving off an attitude of fear.
Weapons: Intuition and Voice
-
Do you have a feeling something isn't right?
-
Show you are confident and able to deal with the situation.
-
Face a potential attacker. Don't turn your back. Back away from him.
-
Use your voice! "Leave me alone!" or "Get away from me!"
-
Children's classes often focus on prevention tactics that use words to avoid abduction.
-
Talk to your child about what they would do if someone grabbed them.
-
Teach them to scream the phrase, "I don't know you."
If you chose to learn self defense you might check with the YMCA or the police department.
1. The Physical approach:
2. Model mugging
-
This nationwide program is unique as it uses men to act out situations such as mugging or assault.
-
The Idea behind this approach is to teach women how to react quickly and appropriately with their bodies and voices when they are in danger.
-
Women are taught to fend off their mock attackers while they learn to stay calm.
3. Learn to use a weapon
There are programs that teach the effective use of defensive weapons such as Pepper Spray or firearms.
AWARE (Arming Women Against Rape & Endangerment) offers courses at low rates
AWARE believes that the best protection you can have is prevention.
Use of Pepper Spray
- When something tells you to act: Time is of greatest importance.
- Don't pull out your spray until you are ready to use it! The more unexpected - the more successful you will be.
- Make sure you will hit your attacker right in the face.
- What you want to do is surprise him and stop him before he can react.
- As you Shout "Stop," Raise your arm so his attention is on that hand, then bring the spray up, aim and shoot, back away!
- Get away, (far away) and call 911!
AWARE's motto, "Confidence Comes from Competence."
I enjoy freedoms that women in other countries only dream about. Unfortunately, although my freedom at the moment is guaranteed, my safety as a woman isn’t. One in three women in America will be sexually assaulted in her lifetime. (That statistic is only based on REPORTED cases of rape. Considering how many go unreported the statistic is probably more like 2 out of 3) .
Frightening? It doesn’t have to be. By learning some of the basic principles of self-defense you can take control of your life and your safety whether you’re at home, in the parking lot of the mall, or in the clutches of an attacker.
There are some very common sense ways to keep yourself safe, things your mom may have drilled into your brain while you were growing up: don’t walk in dark alleys alone, check the backseat of your car before you get in, etc. However, even the best of intentions may not keep you from a dangerous situation, and when you find yourself in that situation your only hope is to be prepared.
Fight or Flight
When confronted by an attacker, you will probably only have a split second to make the decision as whether to run for help or stay and fight. Contrary to your instincts, running away isn’t always the best solution. If there is no where to get help nearby there is a good chance your attacker will catch up with you, at which point it’s futile to try to intimidate him or tell him to “back off” because he already knows you’re afraid. Only run away if there is a way to get help within sprinting distance or if you’ve physically disabled your attacker enough to get away. Otherwise, your best option is to convince your attacker to leave you alone through what you say or through physical force.
Using Your Body as a Weapon
To successfully fight your way out of a dangerous situation you need to know which parts of your body make the best weapons and how to use them. Here are six natural weapons every woman possesses:
Hands – Despite what Hollywood tells us, a punch is not the most effective way to take a person down. For most women, a punch will be ineffective in stopping an attacker and may hurt the victim as much as the perpetrator. Instead, use hands for grabbing and tearing at soft flesh to inflict maximum pain. The underside of the arm and the inner thigh are two good areas to aim for. Tear off an ear or lip. Poke him in the eyes, with your index and middle finger (one on each side of the nose) as fast and hard as you can. There is also a nerve that is very painful between a persons nose and upper lip. Use the side of your hand to hit and RUB THE NERVE AS HARD AS YOU CAN. Cup your hands and hit both ears at the same time with your hands still cupped. This will bust your attackers eardrums.
Elbows – The elbow and forearm make for great weapons against an assailant. The key is to twist at the waist and throw all the weight and power of both your upper and lower body into the hit. When used correctly, the elbow can cause a lot of pain in the ribs, sternum, diaphragm, throat, and groin.
Knees – A woman’s legs are the strongest part of her body. The area around the kneecap can do unthinkable damage when brought up between an attacker’s legs.
Head – The skull is made of very hard bone that can do a lot of damage when brought in contact with the fragile parts of an assailant’s face, particularly the nose. Whether you’ve been grabbed from the front or from behind, slamming your head into an attacker’s face can cause a lot of pain.
Feet – Use the ball of your foot to kick an attacker’s ankle, calf, or Achilles’ tendon or use your heel to stomp down on their instep.
Teeth – It takes no training to know how to bite, and a bite will hurt no matter where it’s placed. One thing to consider: when biting, it’s possible to end up with the attacker’s blood in your mouth, which may carry any of a number of infectious diseases. Use your own judgment to decide whether or not a situation requires you to bite.
Hit ‘em Where it Hurts
To truly end an attack and make a successful escape you’ll need to know which parts of your attacker’s body are the most vulnerable and the most vital. I like to use the acronym “GET” to help me remember, as in, “Get lost creep or I might have to hurt you.”
Groin – Don’t try to kick a man in the groin. There’s a good chance you’ll lose your balance or your attacker will grab your foot or leg. Instead, aim for the assailant’s testicles with your knee or crush or swat this area with your hand or fist. Even a tap in this most sensitive of places can bring an attacker down. When you grab or knee your assailant in the groin, be sure to stand to either side of him and not in front as his first instinct will be to fall forward at the waist.
Eyes – While the eye socket may be sturdy, the eye itself is completely unprotected. If an attacker grabs you it means his hands are occupied. Use one hand to grab the back of his neck and pull him down. With your other hand grind your thumb into the inner corner of his eye. Wrap the rest of your fingers around his ear or skull to stabilize your hand for this attack and dig away.
Throat – The windpipe is a delicate area that can be seriously damaged by a strike or grab. To strike the windpipe, keep your hand open (as if you’re holding a glass), and strike at the front of the throat with full force. Punch through the neck, as if you’re trying to knock his windpipe out the back of his neck. Remember to hit or strike with a strong movement instead of just shoving. To grab a windpipe, move your free hand or hands up your attacker’s throat, sink your thumb and fingers into his voice box or windpipe, and squeeze as if you’re trying to make a fist. Squeeze with all your strength and pull outward, as if you’re trying to rip his windpipe out. This kind of counter-attack can be effective even with very little force.
Practice Makes Perfect
In order for any of these moves to be effective, they need to be practiced in a safe environment. Don’t expect to know or remember what to do in the heat of the moment when you’re feeling afraid. Instead, grab a friend or spouse and practice on them. One word of caution: all of these moves can cause severe damage to the body, even when done with little force. Only practice these techniques in slow motion with no applied force. You’ll still learn to feel comfortable with the actual movements.
DONT MAKE YOURSELF A TARGET
* The number one way to do this is to dress modestly. Plunging necklines and short skirts and belly buttons showing make you a target for rapists. You can be sexy and classy without being trashy. Wear sensible shoes you can run in, especially if your walking more than a block.
*Walk with your head up, looking around. Notice the people around you. Use reflections in glass to watch the people around and behind you.
*Use a purse with a long strap. Wear it slung on one shoulder, across your chest, with the bag hanging on your opposite side as the shoulder. This leaves your hands free, and less likely to be mugged, because the thief will know he won't be able to take your purse as easily.
* If you think your being followed. Turn around and stare down the person you think is following you. They like the element of surprise. They lose it if you know they are following you, and they know you know. Confidence is key. Glare at the person with your best "if looks could kill" glare. Shout at the top of your lungs (so others can hear!) STOP FOLLOWING ME!! Most likely whoever it is will turn and walk away, even if they weren't actually following you. Any decent guy would probably apologize for scaring you and will understand your reaction.
*Don't go places alone at night. If you must, make sure you're friends and family know where you are going, when you should get there, and when you plan to be back. Make sure your cell phone is charged. Call if you’re going to be late. Put a taxi service and local police numbers on speed dial.
*Wear shoes you can run fast in. Seriously. If you try to run in heels, you'll break something. Being safe is better than looking cute and getting attacked. You can always carry your dress shoes in your purse and put them on when you get where you’re going. (Bonus: You can pull a six inch heel out of your purse and hit your attacker with it.)
*Don't go out for a jog, walk with BOTH ears plugged with earbuds and loud music. Don't limit one of your most important senses. Listen for footsteps behind you.
*Clubs and bars are full of potential rapists. Don't be naive. They are all there to "hook up". If you want to go out and have some fun, be smart about it.
--Leave with the people you came with. Don't let your friends go off alone with a guy without getting some info from him: His full name. Then ask for his ID. Copy down his address, birth date, driver’s license number. Ask for the color, make and model, and plate number of his car. Any decent guy will be willing to give up the info, because he knows your just being safe, for you and your friend. If he protests even after you explain your safety policy, he's trouble. Don't let your friend leave with him. Better to be paranoid than a victim.
-- Be aware that the "Date Rape" drugs are put into play when a woman isn't looking. Don't let a guy bring you a drink. Don't take your eyes off your drink. If you do, get a new one. Don't give your drink to anyone and then take it back from them.
--Don't drink or get drunk.
-- LEARN TO BE OBSERVANT OF PEOPLE! Practice remembering things about people you see. Then when the time comes, Remember his clothes (the type of fabric, the colors, style) Look for jewelry or watches. Remember what they look like. Remember his hairstyle, approximate height and weight. Any distinguishing marks, scars, piercing, tattoos. Notice his eye color, hair color and style, his voice, his facial hair, the shape of his jaw and nose, his eyebrows and shape/size of his mouth. If your alone at a club, go into the rest room and text his description to a friend, along with any other info you know about him. At the very least your friend will be able to give the police a halfway decent description if anything happens. Being careful and paranoid will keep you safe.
2. Items every woman should have in her purse.
*Pepper Spray
*Cell phone with extra battery
*Small Swiss Army knife
*A small flashlight with extra batteries
*A pen and small notebook (write down anything and everything you recall as soon as you can while your memory is fresh. Vehicle plate numbers, Physical descriptions etc.)
*At least a $1 in quarters for a pay phone.
*Q tips (to collect saliva if an attacker kisses or spits on you. Put in baggie.)
*Three snack size ziplock bags (for physical evidence)
*Feminine hygiene products (if you've been sexually assaulted or even suspect you have, use them to absorb semen. Put in baggie.)
*A nail care kit (if you scratch or pull hair of an attacker, scrape your nails and put hair and skin cells into baggie.)
*Small disposable or digital camera.
(Get photos of car, the person, the street signs, anything else you think is important.)
When the police come, you can give them the notebook, the baggies, the camera as well as your statement. If a man forces himself on you, and you can keep calm enough to somehow get the guys DNA, the police can find him later. (Hey, who says you can't learn anything from TV? CSI taught me a lot!)
Knowledge is Power
You don’t have to live in fear. While avoiding dangerous situations in the first place by being aware of your surroundings is by far the better choice, knowing how to take down an attacker if you have to is vital to your safety. Study and practice some of the basic moves of self-defense until they feel like second nature to you. Learn to feel your own strength and be comfortable with the way your body moves. Most of all, be mentally prepared to react even in the worst of situations. You might just save your own life someday, but even if you never need to employ these skills, the strength and empowerment you’ll feel as a result are a wonderful bonus.
Checkout
