I’m sure that you are well aware of the dreadful and violent acts committed against women all over the world. I don’t need to give you statistics; you see it on the news, read it in the papers and onthe internet, and you may even know women who have been physically attacked or abused. But just because it happened to them doesn’t mean that it should happen to you. There are practical ways with which you can defend yourself against people who want to harm you.
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Remember these three things: listen, watch, and feel. Don’t use an MP3 player or your phone while walking. These will limit your ability to hear the sounds around you. When you walk, stand tall and look forward. This makes you look like a confident and empowered person. And lastly, listen to you intuition. If you feel that something is wrong, then don’t take chances. Go somewhere with many people or ask a friend to accompany you.
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Potential attackers are discouraged when you act confident. If you sense someone is following you, turn around and look the person in the eye. They will most likely back off if they know you’ve had a clear picture of their face. You can also let them know verbally by saying something like “I know you’re following me. I don’t want any trouble. Go away right now.”
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If an attacker demands for your purse or wallet, then you have to make a decision whether to fight back or give in to the demand. If you are in a crowded street and the person doesn’t have a weapon, then ask for help from the people around you. An attacker doesn’t want attentionfor fear of getting caught. If the attacker has a weapon, then it would be best if you just give them what they want. If this scenario happens while you are in a secluded or quiet place, then it would be best to throw your purse or wallet in the opposite direction and run in the other. This will create some distance between you and the attacker. If you do choose or have to fight back, make sure that you are capable of doing so.
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Don’t be afraid to use your hands and nailsto defend yourself. Gouge the eyes of your assailant by sinking your thumb in all the way up to the knuckle through the inner corner of the eye. Drag the thumb all the way to the opposite corner of the eye. You can also scratch the person, provided that your nails are long enough.
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The human body has several weak parts that you can strike when you need to weaken your attacker. Slap the attacker’s ears and the eardrum may rupture. Hit the throat hard enough and you can cause the wind pipe to collapse, causing your attacker to suffocate. You can also kick the knees or the shin to create pain. Aim for the groin of a male attacker; he could double upin painand even end up vomiting.
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Check your purse/bag for items you can use to defend yourself. You can stab the attacker with your pen. Your perfume can substitute for mace or pepper spray. You can use an umbrella to bash or strike anyone who tries to harm you. Your resourcefulness just might save your life.
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If you don’t want to use personal items for self-defense, then you can also purchase equipment if it is legal whereyou live. You can carry around a personal attack alarm which creates a loud, piercing noise when activated. Pepper or mace spray can temporarily blind your attacker, giving you a chance to escape from your attacker. A taser or stun gun can also immobilize an attacker.
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People who want to hurtor steal something from you don’t want to attract attention to themselves. Make noise and try to get people to notice you. It would be even better if you could be specific in asking for help. Address a person in a crowd and enlist their help. They will be more likely to respond if they know you are talking to them in particular.
Self-defense is a vital skill that every woman should possess. Knowing how to defend yourself against people who want to harm you is about being informed, being ready, and being empowered. You shouldn’t be afraid to assert yourself or to put up a fight if you absolutely have to. Your life is the only one you have so do what you can to preserve it. It doesn’t matter how small you are physically; what matters is the spirit inside you.
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