• We are now running on a new, and hopefully much-improved, server. In addition we are also on new forum software. Any move entails a lot of technical details and I suspect we will encounter a few issues as the new server goes live. Please be patient with us. It will be worth it! :) Please help by posting all issues here.
  • The forum will be down for about an hour this weekend for maintenance. I apologize for the inconvenience.
  • If you are having trouble seeing the forum then you may need to clear your browser's DNS cache. Click here for instructions on how to do that
  • Please review the Forum Rules frequently as we are constantly trying to improve the forum for our members and visitors.

Self-Defense For Women

HankT

State Researcher
Joined
Feb 20, 2007
Messages
6,215
Location
Invisible Mode
imported post

Here is a gentle andpracticalarticle about a rather obvious subject: Women need to prepare for defending themselvesout there in the real world.

Seems to methat any increase in SD awareness by women eventually leads to consideration of firearms to be part of a SD regimen. After all, defending oneself with a firearm can be one of the most effective methods available.

I wonder if the MMM folks could really get that?

Maybe the strategem would be to get them to be more aware of the vulnerability of women to violence.

Probably work.


In reading the article, I saw an interesting littleinsight about thewomanly view of using firearms. Could be useful.

Nah, just ignore it. Means nothing. :cool:




Self-Defense for Women: How to Realistically Use Traditional Techniques
By Alexis Robertson
May 23, 2007

Disclaimer: This article discusses some sensitive issues regarding violence towards women. Please be aware this is only an examination of women's self-defense. Please seek professional training and/or counseling respective to your individual situation. I do not claim to be an expert in self-defense. I am a martial arts practitioner and have attended several seminars devoted to women's self-defense. I am fortunate enough to have never been attacked, other than in a controlled environment. I am only presenting ideas I have found to be useful and discarding those I feel to be inconsequential.

Let's face it. Our society has become desensitized to so many issues, that it is hard for people to take violence seriously anymore. Sadly, this leads to people being oblivious to the fact that they are leaving themselves wide open to becoming victims. I can't count the times I have walked down a dark alley by myself and thought nothing of it. That is, until I get in the car and realized how dangerous that situation could have been.
Self-defense is something every woman should learn. Period. There are no safe zones anymore and there are no exceptions. She cannot say what she sees on the news will never happen to her. The communities that you could once leave your door unlocked no longer exist. It's a sad truth, but the only way a woman can prepare herself is by learning what is useful, and being knowledgeable about what is available to them to protect themselves. More importantly, they need to know what will actually work for them if they ever find themselves in a compromising situation.
There are several tactics that have been presented to women over time. When the idea of women's self-defense started to become increasingly in the minds of the public, popular techniques included pepper spray, hands-on body suit training, and carrying other weapons. These popular techniques created an important awareness: that a woman could and should fight back if they are ever attacked. The mindset that a woman should never be a victim was presented. The challenge was to instill this idea in the minds of women of an age where domestic violence and rape was considered acceptable. (Violence towards women is never acceptable, but that's an entirely different issue.) How do we give a woman the proper tools to let her fight for her right to life? That it is possible for her to get away, and to live? Which ones are considered "correct?"
The traditional tactics of women's self-defense gave women an important awareness, but are they actually useful when a compromising situation arises? The following are defenses that may do more harm than good, or may just not work in your given situation. Some are actually good techniques, they just need to be improved upon. Instead of only harping on their flaws, I have included a few ways to make them easier and more effective.
Kicking or Kneeing to the Groin
This is probably the easiest and most popular defenses. This could be a very useful technique and render your attacker breathless to give you enough time to run away. If they are a man. Or if you don't miss. There are several instances that a woman might attack another woman, and this technique may stun them, or confuse them, but probably won't stop them if they really want to cause harm. In the case of missing, you could hit their thigh, or knee them in the stomach, which is fine, but may not be as effective. There's also a possibility that someone has grabbed you from behind, rendering this technique completely useless. To better your aim, and to give you more control over your target, you should use your hand. Ball your hand into a fist and strike. It also works if they grab you from behind, because you can strike backwards with your hand and arms.
Body Suit Simulation
This creates a great real-life scenario and lets you get a hands-on experience of what it's like to hit an attacker without hurting someone who has volunteered to help teach you. Except the guy in the suit can't grab you or hold you down. Instead, take the guy out of the suit, give him catcher's gear or martial art protective gear, and initiate the scenario. You may not be able to give him a full swift kick to the groin area, but see the explanation above as to why that may not work anyway. A guy in minimal gear can hold you down, but still allow you to strike. The strikes will give you a more realistic reaction, as the minimal gear only protects so much.
Guns/Knives/Etc.
Carrying a weapon is serious business, and there are a lot of hindrances to women when carrying them for self-defense. I've only met a handful of women who aren't scared to death of weapons. There is a mental barrier that you have to overcome to carry a gun or a knife: that when you go after someone with a weapon, you intend to use it and do some serious harm. I personally train with weapons, know how to use them, and I am still deathly afraid of a knife. I know how much damage they can do. A gun is, of course, the ultimate weapon. They're the reason man is highest in the hierarchy of species. A gun will fend off any enemy. But what if the enemy is someone you know? What if they are intoxicated, or in a state of mind that, under different circumstances, they wouldn't normally try to cause you bodily harm? You'd want to defend yourself, but not kill them. On top of that, a gun or knife needs special training, and a lot of it, if you want to hit the right targets. There are also a lot of laws in place that restrict the size and kind of weapon a person may carry. And there's always a possibility your attacker may take away the weapon and turn it around on his victim. There are weapons out there that are more suited for self defense, for the everyday person. Cold Steel, Inc. (http://www.coldsteel.com) sells really strong, easy to access push knives that are great for joggers and especially for women. They are still built for adequate damage, but are small enough to control so the attacker cannot take it away.
These are only a few popular techniques, but the list will always vary and could go on forever. Because there are so many different situations women can find themselves in, so many "what-ifs," there is so much to know and learn about self defense. When it all boils down, you should use whatever works for you.
Your best weapon for self defense is your brain. Learn as much as possible. As the saying goes: "knowledge is power." That means you should learn about the area you live in, learn about your neighbors, learn about the entertainment districts, learn about which taxi service is best, learn about what you can do in several scenarios and learn if there are local martial arts schools offering self defense programs. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Use your common sense. If you feel uncomfortable in a situation, listen to your women's intuition. More often than not, it isn't wrong. Always stay aware and always know what you are getting yourself into. If you do find yourself in a bad situation, don't be afraid to fight back. It's much easier to ask questions later, because at least you will be alive to ask them.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/240347/selfdefense_for_women_how_to_realistically.html
 

mzbk2l

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 13, 2007
Messages
425
Location
Superstition Mountain, Arizona, USA
imported post

That article does bring up an interesting point: the degree of violence you are facing. At what point do you need to pull a gun?

Most threads here discuss scenarios in which you are presented with no doubt that a gun is the best option. I would be willing to bet, however, that in reality, there is going to be a lot more ambiguity...

A gun will fend off any enemy. But what if the enemy is someone you know? What if they are intoxicated, or in a state of mind that, under different circumstances, they wouldn't normally try to cause you bodily harm? You'd want to defend yourself, but not kill them.

These are the types of situations I know that I need to spend more time thinking about. If someone breaks into my house at 3am with a lead pipe, I know I'm going to shoot him. No debate.

If a homeless guy walks up to me on the street and starts hassling me, maybe gets in my space or gives me a push, what do I do then? That's not worth drawing a gun, is it? What if he suddenly reaches into his pocket?

What if you come out of the theater with your family and find someone leaning against your car, or following you to your car? Does either of those things make you draw a gun? How much more threat do you need to perceive before you will draw your gun?

It's the escalation of a situation from seemingly harmless toward something that could be harmful that should make you think. Any idiot knows you should draw and fire if a carjacker busts your window and sticks a knife in the car. The more subtle situations require a lot more forethought, or you could very quickly end up on the wrong side of the law (or worse, shoot someone you don't want to shoot, as in her example quoted above).
 
Top