“There is a serious problem with store-bought accessories,” points out Guy Dar, an expert in self-defense who teaches a hand-to-hand combat technique. In most cases, notes Dar, you do not have enough time to pull out the stun gun or tear gas canister, and thus it is much better to first try reacting with your hands or with articles that are readily available in any case. Dar believes the most effective self-defense items are ordinary items that you usually carry in your purse anyway. In this category he includes such easily accessible articles as keys, pencils, rings, even the purse itself.
The advantage of these items is twofold. First, you do not have to prepare them in advance or dig them out from the bottom of your purse. Second, they can take your assailant by surprise: They look innocent and, besides, he is probably assuming that you are a weak and completely defenseless woman.
“A woman who is attacked is not interested in fighting her assailant to overcome him,” explains Dar. “The only thing she wants to do is to stun him for a few seconds so that she can run away or call for help.”
In Dar’s view, the first principle in self-defense should be prevention: Spend a few more seconds surveying the area before you emerge from your car, take a closer look at the dark stairwell before you ascend it, and look to your left and your right before entering an elevator.
Another way of protecting yourself, says Dar, is to think ahead: “Women who are afraid of being attacked – and that is the situation we are facing today – should conduct a few mental exercises, in which they say to themselves what they plan to do if the worst happens, and they are attacked.” According to Dar, that way of thinking can prepare you for such an emergency and can promote a more effective response in a real-life crisis.
This article points out an important point about self-defense: it doesn’t matter what weapons or tools a woman has on her; they’re useless without education. Education on self-defense, prevention, and avoidance teaches the student how to defend themselves, which the student needs to successfully defend themselves.
What do you think?
Wednesday, January 10th 2007 at 1:22 pm
Yea, I agree with having something in your hand. Most attacks are 100% surprises. So if your not ready… Trouble.
Dave
Tuesday, December 5th 2006 at 1:27 pm
While I agree that having something like keys already in your hands can help, you are also assuming that the attacker is a stranger. In most cases of rape, the attacker is known to the victim and the aforementioned tactics may not work in these situations. People should be more aware of all their surroundings, including being with people they know and trust.
Tuesday, December 5th 2006 at 11:45 am
It seems sad to me that the focus of our efforts is to arm women, rather than addressing the source of the problem – the attitudes of some men that violence against women is acceptable.
Weapons for self-defense also seem (to me) to have limited applicability when the majority of sexual assaults are perpetrated by acquaintances rather than the “stranger in the bushes.”
Monday, December 4th 2006 at 11:53 am
Good points, indeed. Personally, I think a Ruger 45 worn on her hip might prevent an assault in the first place.
Sunday, December 3rd 2006 at 8:24 pm
I believe that it’s much easier to carry the stun gun in your hand, than dig thru your purse for a pencil. If you have something in your hands, such as keys, have them pointed outward between your fingers. A stun gun is going to stop a person better than a pencil or keys.