2008 Woodie Awards
How to fight back
Knowing self-defense can prevent traumatic attacks
Rachel Harper
Issue date: 1/12/06 Section: Features
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Statistics show 172 women are assaulted every hour in the United States, which is 1.5 million women a year. Every two minutes a woman is sexually assaulted or raped; in a typical work day of eight hours, one woman will be killed by her boyfriend or husband.
Incidents of sexual assault have been known to happen in Warrensburg, especially at popular places for students to go, such as Pine Street. Willis L. Jones was arrested Oct. 20 in South Yeater Hall and charged with sexual assault and deviate sexual assault. When officers responded, they found the victim unconscious in Jones' room.
"Every woman/girl has grown up with 'little ladies don't hit'," said Sgt. Brad Beard with the Sedalia Police Department and a self-defense educator for 12 years. "They are considered the weaker sex and some men prey upon them. The best way to prevent this from happening is to educate."
What should you do?
There are three steps to stopping an assault both before and when it occurs. The first step is common sense, which involves not walking alone and using the buddy system. Tell someone where you are going and with whom you are going. Always be aware of your surroundings.
"The best way to not be a statistic is avoidance," Beard said. "So don't go places you don't need to be."
The next step is to use your voice to yell "Stop!" or "Fire!" Also, you can carry a second set of keys to give the bad guy and toss them away from you so you can make an escape. Make sure you get a good description of the person.
The third step is self-defense classes, which teach students techniques to defend themselves. The classes teach you to escape from traps.
One such way is the bear hug-front-hands. It involves the victim grabbing the attacker's hair and pulling back. With the other hand, strike the bridge of the nose. Grab the back of the attacker's head with both hands and bring it down while the victim brings her knee up to meet the attacker's nose.
Incidents of sexual assault have been known to happen in Warrensburg, especially at popular places for students to go, such as Pine Street. Willis L. Jones was arrested Oct. 20 in South Yeater Hall and charged with sexual assault and deviate sexual assault. When officers responded, they found the victim unconscious in Jones' room.
"Every woman/girl has grown up with 'little ladies don't hit'," said Sgt. Brad Beard with the Sedalia Police Department and a self-defense educator for 12 years. "They are considered the weaker sex and some men prey upon them. The best way to prevent this from happening is to educate."
What should you do?
There are three steps to stopping an assault both before and when it occurs. The first step is common sense, which involves not walking alone and using the buddy system. Tell someone where you are going and with whom you are going. Always be aware of your surroundings.
"The best way to not be a statistic is avoidance," Beard said. "So don't go places you don't need to be."
The next step is to use your voice to yell "Stop!" or "Fire!" Also, you can carry a second set of keys to give the bad guy and toss them away from you so you can make an escape. Make sure you get a good description of the person.
The third step is self-defense classes, which teach students techniques to defend themselves. The classes teach you to escape from traps.
One such way is the bear hug-front-hands. It involves the victim grabbing the attacker's hair and pulling back. With the other hand, strike the bridge of the nose. Grab the back of the attacker's head with both hands and bring it down while the victim brings her knee up to meet the attacker's nose.