Vijay Garg
Self Defence is the act of defending oneself, one’s property or someone else from physical harm. Self Defence has an important role in the life of women. Self Defence is a skill which every woman should acquire to make their own and others live safer on a daily basis or whenever the situation requires. Women often become victims because of their physical ability. Self Defence techniques enable them to take control of situations in which may end up being a victim of verbal abuse, physical attack etc. Such techniques also increase confidence in realising that if someone does not respect your boundaries, you should stop them.
Crime is on the rise, especially among women. And it doesn’t matter where you live or work, you are at risk of becoming a victim of a violent or intrusive crime. There is only one perfect way to deal with it, is to defend yourself with certain psychological, physical and Self Defence tools. Most likely, When a personal attack occurs it is very likely that the police won’t be standing nearby and also likely is the fact that the police can only get involved after the damage has been done. Everyone is entitled to feel safe and Self-Defence provides the tools. While so much attention is given to Academic Education, one should not consider Self Defence as useless or redundant because just like academics is important for our future, self-defence is important for our safety.
Self defence education
Most people think of Self Defence as a kick to the groin or fist in the eyes of an attacker. But the actual meaning of Self Defence is doing everything possible to avoid fighting someone who threatens or attacks you. Self-defence is all about using your head and not just your fists. This education requires no or very minimal requirements. It does not matter whether you have any previous experience or not. There are no uniforms, foreign terminology, traditional rituals or formalities to it. It is just Practical and Simple life-saving skill techniques which require minimal commitment.
Self Defence Education is not just for tough women it is for all women and of all ages. It does not need to be Formal. Anyone can have it from anywhere, be it from friends, relatives, family, literature etc. But it is better to have the proper knowledge and Hands-On Experience rather than counting on just silly tips.
Means of self defence education
Workshops: Workshops on ‘self-defence for women are held from time to time in order to prepare women against attacks on streets, trains or even in the confines of their homes. Such Workshops generally are held by NGO’s and they teach you how to deal with a nuisance, protecting yourself from and coping with an attacker.
Special Programs: Special programs options are available for high schools, colleges, community centres, woman’s shelters, businesses and other organizations Self-defence programs are specially designed to serve to needs of women in a variety of different situations. Most of these are offered in schools or colleges as an after-school activity, or during class-time as a special curriculum component to physical education or sex education classes. These programs can also impart education to hospitals, businesses, community organizations and woman’s centres. The Course comprises of lectures and practical.
Self defence techniques
Personal Trainers: Certain Instructors give personal attention by coming to you and will adopt a program to meet your needs. They show you and teach you how to avoid an attack, or in the situation where you are attacked, how to fight back etc.
Martial Arts Schools: Various Martial Arts classes incorporate a combination of Kickboxing, Tae-Kwon-do, Kung Fu, Karate, Krav Maga stretching, conditioning and effective techniques that will increase confidence, reduce stress, boost energy, fitness, health and teach you a very practical system of Self Protection. Such Arts not only improve both body and mind but it will also empower you with a life-saving skill.
Internet: Internet is a treasure of information on Self Defence. Various online courses and self-help guides provide the essentials for Self Defence. Some also provide shopping for Self Defence equipment and also raise awareness and prevention of crime on women. One of them is http://www.selfdefence.in/
Books, Magazines and other Literature: Various Types of publications provide detailed information on the Know- How of Self Protection.
Media Forms: Various T.V. channels and Radio Programmes act as agents of education on this aspect. Certain DVD’s, CD’s, CD-ROM’s etc also help in this objective.
Methods of self defence
Self Defence Tools: Various types of equipment are available in shops and Online which are very helpful. Women can carry defensive weapons like pungent sprays, keys, umbrellas etc. Such tools are primarily to defend and escape, and not to indulge in long fights. The positive step of buying a self-defence product such as a pepper spray or stun gun improves your awareness and adds to your image of confidence.
Weapons: In some countries, it is legal to carry weapons for purposes of self-defence. While in other countries one may require a license or some items may be legal to carry without a license. But there is a lot of controversies as these may be utilised for committing the violent crime
Presence of Mind: One needs to have the presence of mind and not get caught up in panic. Some of the easiest strategies for this are – saying something, yelling, fighting and the important thing is you should appear confident even if you have no action plan and the right tools with which to carry it out. Being alert is the first step towards self-protection.
Learning Martial Arts: Many styles of martial arts are practised for self-defence. Some of these are Kickboxing, Tae-Kwon-do, Kung Fu, Karate, Krav Maga etc. Judo has many self-defence techniques. Some styles train almost exclusively for self-defence, while others can be effectively applied for Self-defense. More complete self-defence training not only teaches how to physically defend against attack but also includes personal safety tips and techniques that increase awareness and improves the ability to avoid confrontation and potential dangers.
Basics to deal with the miscreants
De-escalation: It is the use of voice, tone, and body language to calm a potentially violent situation before its’ advent. Attackers are not always strangers who jump out of dark alleys. Any acquaintance can attack you. That’s where another important self-defence skill comes into play. This skill is called de-escalation by experts. Saying and doing things that don’t threaten your attacker can give you some control.
Get Away: The safest method of self-defence is running away when possible. Running is often the recommended alternative to fighting because of safety and because it saves the victim of any legal repercussion that would likely result should the victim win the fight.
Improvise: Everyday objects, such as baseball bats or body spray, can also be used as improvised weapons for self-defence, however, they may not be as effective as a purpose-built weapon. Some non-lethal weapons as the Kubotan have also been build to resemble everyday objects, such as keychains.
Travel in Group: While going out at night travel in a group as it attracts little or no attention from miscreants.
Inform Others: When going on a date or with friends, let someone know where you’re going and when you expect to return.
(The author is retired principal, educational columnist and can be reached at [email protected])
