I can give you a demo of the physical side of things next time we're in the same city. I've taught womens' self defense seminars before, and I've had my students come back later and tell me that it worked. It's worked for me.
Jay's right, awareness is huge, a weapon that you know how to use is also good if you have the time to learn how to use one. (You do end up with complications if you travel a lot, though, in that knives of more than X length and guns cannot be brought through many places.) Two more things I'd add -- there are places where, if you must fight, you can bring the pain intensely and immediately. (Eyes, noses, ears, throat, temples, nerve clusters, crotch for guys.) Hit them there, and DO NOT STOP HITTING THEM until they stop moving and you can run. (The number one thing that most women do wrong, once the hitting has started, is to hit once or twice and then stop to see how much that did/how well that's worked/if they can stop. This gives the attacker a chance to recoup, get mad, and resume the attack, and now you've lost the element of surprise. KEEP HITTING.)
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Date: 2009-04-01 12:28 am (UTC)Jay's right, awareness is huge, a weapon that you know how to use is also good if you have the time to learn how to use one. (You do end up with complications if you travel a lot, though, in that knives of more than X length and guns cannot be brought through many places.) Two more things I'd add -- there are places where, if you must fight, you can bring the pain intensely and immediately. (Eyes, noses, ears, throat, temples, nerve clusters, crotch for guys.) Hit them there, and DO NOT STOP HITTING THEM until they stop moving and you can run. (The number one thing that most women do wrong, once the hitting has started, is to hit once or twice and then stop to see how much that did/how well that's worked/if they can stop. This gives the attacker a chance to recoup, get mad, and resume the attack, and now you've lost the element of surprise. KEEP HITTING.)