There are numerous ways for a woman to defend herself from all kinds of attack. In some situations, however, such ways could end up with the attacker’s death. If you don’t want that on your conscience, here are a few tips to protect yourself without taking another person’s life.

Focus on Escaping
The only time there’d actually be a viable possibility for you to kill your offender is when both of you are involved in a direct confrontation. But why would you want to do that in the first place? Consider only getting in a tussle with your offender as a last resort. What you should focus instead is finding a way to safety and escaping as physically intact as possible.

Give a Warning
If you are confident about your self-defense skills but are loathe to use it unless necessary, give a warning to your offender! Now, this doesn’t mean laying all your cards down the table but suffice to say, just let him know that you are capable of defending yourself and that you don’t want to hurt him but if he forces you to then you would not hesitate.

If you are under attack against a bully, these words may be more than enough to make him hesitate. Bullies, after all, prefer fighting those who are weak. But if you show yourself to be strong, you won’t appeal to them as a victim. Those precious seconds of hesitation could be more than enough to save your life!

Target Vulnerable but not Life-threatening Areas
If direct confrontation is inevitable and you are worried about ending up killing your offender, the next thing to focus on are areas which will effectively weaken or disarm him but will not cost him his life.

For male attackers, the genital area is of course the most vulnerable. A strong, well-aimed kick could effectively put a stop to his attack. Make sure, however, that you really have the element of surprise working for you because most attackers are prepared against such tactics.

Aim to make him unconscious. Use hard blunt objects to hit your attacker on the head; aim well, strike hard, and you can render your attacker unconscious. Do not use pointed objects; your panic and confusion could make you inadvertently hit him using the pointed side and this could cause greater damage and, in worst case scenario, the death of your attacker.

And of course, don’t forget to scream and do what you can to call for help. This could make your offender panic and leave you alone!

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You have already watched countless Martial Arts lessons in CD’s. You have your tools and gadgets handy. But do you really know what to do and how to execute the moves when you need them the most? Do you know when to fight or flight? If your response is “Ummm, not really”, you are in big trouble. Why not go to self defense trainings then? Don’t know where to find groups offering these trainings? Learn how to choose the best self defense lesson for you first.

To be able to make an informed decision in selecting a training course for you, it’s important that you know what you need and want to gain from a lesson. There are those who’d like to master these methods for fitness purposes, not only physically but also psychologically. Some would want to learn to better protect themselves. Some would want to join competitions instead.

In finding self defense lessons to join, schools can be a great help. Schools in the vicinity of your neighbourhood would be good sources of these trainings. Ask for flyers, brochures or simply meet with the instructors to get more information about the offerings. Before saying yes and paying anything, don’t forget to ask for recommendations so you can have more options. Another factor that should help you decide in choosing lessons is whether the school or training offers safety equipment or facilities. You can also scour the web for more information about current self defense courses or trainings available. Here are some of the upcoming self defense trainings that might be near your place:

Self Defense Seminar at Lamy’s Black Belt Academy, 183 Elm St., Milford, Nov. 22, from 1-3 p.m.

Self Defense for Women with Brynda Ivan, second-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do, brown belt in Kajukenpo karate, Dec. 8, 6:30 to 8 p.m.; at The Summa Wellness Institute

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