Safety Tips and Self Defense - for Women

This article is about safety tips and self dense, especially for women. I’m not being sexist here. According to an Associated Press article by Michael J. Sniffen, females in the United States commit about 2.1 violent crimes in an average year, and of these, some 75% are crimes of simple battery. Males, on the other hand, commit around 13 million violent crimes a year, on average. Most violent crimes committed against women are done by a spouse, a boyfriend, a friend, or a relative, but 23% are committed by strangers. These crimes include aggravated assault, rape, kidnapping, robbery, and murder. On average, women are smaller than men, and they’re not nearly as strong or as fast.

I feel pretty confident in my personal safety and in my own self-defense abilities. I have a bad habit of going for walks in the middle of the night, alone except for my dog. I never really feel afraid, however. For one thing, I’m a big, strong woman, and for another thing, my dog is a 170-pound Great Dane that’s very protective of me. I also had to take self-defense classes as part of my job, so I learned the basics of self-defense. I certainly don’t recommend such walks for all women. In fact, my husband gets all upset when I do it, but he doesn’t usually know about it because he’s asleep when Hamlet and I go on our ramblings in the dark.

Below, I’m sharing some of what I learned in self-defense classes, including some self defense techniques and personal safety tips. Please read them and get familiar with them. They could actually save your life someday!

Your attitude can make you look strong and sure of yourself, or it can make you look like an easy target. Stand up tall and exude confidence. Sometimes such an attitude will be enough to prompt a would-be attacker to find an easier target.

Driving safety tips – road safety tips

Keep your doors locked and your windows up, whether you’re in the car or not. When approaching your car, have your keys in hand, with the right key for the ignition and for unlocking the door. Look inside your car before getting in.

If you notice you’re being followed while driving, go to a well lighted, crowded area. Even better, drive to the closest police station if there’s one nearby. This happened to me once, and I drove straight to the police station. There were several officers outside the building, and my follower sped away.

If another vehicle pulls up beside you and asks you to pull over, don’t. They might say you have a flat tire or that your car is smoking, but don’t pull over until you reach a safe, crowded area. If an unmarked car tells you to pull over, with the driver saying he’s a law enforcement officer, tell him to follow you to the police station. He might or might not be legit. A few years ago, a man in my neck of the woods was pulling this trick on unsuspecting women, and when they pulled over, he raped them.

Run for your life!

If you’re confronted by an armed assailant, run! Do not pass GO, do not collect $200 – just run as fast as you can, in sort of a zig-zag pattern. A moving target is hard to hit with a pistol, even at close range. The more distance you can put between you and the shooter, the better.

Kidnapping

I don’t think anything strikes as much fear in the human heart as being kidnapped. And yes, adult women are sometimes kidnapped, taken against their will. If someone is trying to abduct you, do not go quietly, no matter what the perp promises you. Once you’re under his complete control and out of sight, you’re probably as good as dead.

Parking lots are prime locations for kidnappers. If you notice a van parked next to your car, don’t get in your car. Go back into the building and get someone to escort you to your vehicle. If you have to, call someone to meet you at the building and drive you to your car, wait for you to get in your car, lock the doors, and drive away safely. Should you ever be overpowered and forced into a car trunk, kick out the tail lights. In the resulting opening, stick out your arm and draw attention to your plight.

Firearms

There have been times when I carried a pistol in my purse for protection, especially when I was taking large sums of cash to the bank. I don’t recommend this for every woman. I grew up with guns and was used to handling them and shooting them. If you’re not proficient with a pistol, carrying one could actually make things worse. If you feel the need to “pack,” practice handling the piece regularly, and be sure you’re prepared to actually use it should the need arise.

Other “weapons”

There are things you can use as weapons right in your purse. In fact, my purse weighs about thirty pounds, so it could serve as a weapon all by itself. If I were to swing that sucker by the handles, it would act as a medieval mace, and I’m sure it could knock someone unconscious. Anything relatively sharp can be used as a weapon: a nail file, keys, a pen, a pencil. The eyes make a great target, and so do the ear canals.

The heel of a shoe can also serve as a weapon in the case of an assault and can be used with self defense techniques. If the assailant is behind you, step back hard on his foot with your heel. This is especially effective if you’re wearing spiky heels, but any type of hard heel can be useful in such a situation. If you step with enough force, the small bones in the assailant’s foot can be broken.

You might also want to consider carrying pepper spray in your purse. Even if you never have to use it, having pepper spray available might give you an added self-confidence in your personal safety that makes you appear as less of a victim and easy target.

Use your body for self defense techniques

In case of an attack, use all your self-defense skills and fight with everything you have! Bite, scratch with your fingernails, pull hair – whatever you can. Remember that your personal safety is at stake. Bend back the perp’s fingers, use your hands to strike his nose or throat, and/or try to gouge the eyes. Most women don’t have a lot of upper body strength, but we do usually have a fair amount of lower body strength. Use your legs by kicking. Of course, a well landed kick to the crotch will probably stop a male assailant in his tracks, but a hard kick to the front or side of the knee can also be very effective.

The elbow makes a good weapon, too, so use it as a self-defense mechanism. Ball your fist up and grab it with your other hand. Use the force of your open palm to push the opposite elbow. Use your body to pivot, too. Push the elbow as hard as possible into the assailant’s ribs.

Use your head

Always try to be aware of your surroundings. Scan an area before you enter it, and try to pinpoint the locations of dark recesses and nooks and crannies where evil-doers could be hiding. If at all possible, don’t walk to your car alone at night. If you must do so, stay in well lit areas. Avoid coming close to any suspicious-looking characters. If you need to get the attention of other people, you can always use your remote car alarm.

Self Defense Classes

I think every woman should take self defense classes for her own personal safety and peace of mind. I learned so much at mine, and I really enjoyed the experience. It’s an empowering feeling to know that you just might be able to take care of yourself in the case of an attack. You might find self-defense classes offered at your local college, YMCA, or through civic organizations. You might also be interested in the following self defense videos.