March is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month and April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. On March 31, 2016 from 7 to 8:30PM Anta’s Fitness and Self Defense will host a free Women’s Self Defense Workshop.
The statistics are alarming. More than seventy percent of women in America encounter a violent crime within her life time. Every nine seconds a woman is battered. One out of every eight women currently living in the US has been a rape victim. Each day approximately three thousand women report that they have been victims of some force aggression. Every day four women die in this country as a result of domestic violence. That’s approximately one thousand four hundred women each year. About 1/3 of high school students are or have been involved in an abusive dating relationship. The number of women who have been murdered by their intimate partners is greater than the number of soldiers killed in the Vietnam War. These statistics are just the reported cases, far more assaults go unreported.
Have I gotten your attention yet? Yes, as a woman you could become an endangered species. The truth of the matter is that your safety is your responsibility, not your knight in shinning armor (husband, partner, boy friend or brother), the government, the apartment manager police or security company. Remember you are not always in the presence of your knight and by the time the police arrive it might be too late. So what can a woman do not to be a statistic?
The answer lies in this African proverb. Every morning a lion wakes up and chases a gazelle across the plain. The lion never goes after the swiftest, strongest gazelle. The lion doesn’t want the challenge, the lion wants a meal. So the lion picks the slowest and weakest. When the criminal goes out in search of a victim he doesn’t want a challenge he wants the easy prey.
As a corrections officer (I worked in a maximum security state prison for over 10 years), my background in the United States Marine Corps, as a martial arts instructor certified in Krav Maga (Israeli Military Defense), Israeli Counter Terrorism, Muay Thai, Judokickbox, Jeet Kune Do, kung fu and through years of research, I’ve discovered 3 things that the bad guy wants and 3 things he does not want to happen.
3 Things a Criminal Wants from you:
If a criminal puts a gun or knife to your body, he does not want to kill you at that time. He either wants:
1. Your Body
2. Information
3. Your Possessions
3 Things that a criminal does not want to happen:
He doesn’t want to be physically defeated by the victim.
He doesn’t want the victim to identify him.
He doesn’t want to be caught by the police.
He picks on women that he perceives to be easy victims. It’s not how tough you really are but how tough he perceives you are. To accomplish this goal you must learn body language, verbal and physical self defense as a confidence builder. Yet your main weapon is the simple element of surprise.
What are the factors involved in surviving an assault?
There are various factors, these are just a few.
Situational Awareness (Awareness, Street Wisdom and Psychology): Avoid dangerous situations, act confidently, and use common sense. You will be frighten and go through the fight or flight syndrome or what we call adrenaline response but you must learn to control your emotions and show no fear. If you are going to have to defend yourself physically, it is usually better to fight early using the element of surprise.
Practice: Practice does not make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect. Practicing reality based self defense will enhance your reaction time and reflexes. Through continual practice your body will acquire the muscle memory that you will need and the knowledge of the body’s vital points and how and when to attack them. Planning and practice are the keys to not freezing when you are attacked.
Fitness: Being in good shape could augment your odds of survival. It is not necessary to be an Olympic athlete, UFC or kickboxing champion to defend yourself. Yet, a fit person has a better chance to escape and to inflict damage with strikes.
Reading this article or books on self defense will not teach you to defend yourself. It can however point you in the right direction. Self defense training must be conducted in a reality based setting, with verbal and physical scenario encounters. This will make you the fastest gazelle not a victim of crime! By the way I forgot to mention that the predator in that African proverb is a female lion.
Anta’s Fitness and Self Defense goal is to make our community safer one women at a time. This workshop will teach you simple techniques that will empower you to walk in peace. Call us today at 305 599-3649 to reserve your spot for this free workshop that could save your life. Look for our page on Facebook Anta's Fitness and Self Defense and log on to our website for more information and videos http://www.doralkravmaga.com
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