Common women's self defence scenarios

[righty]

Hi everyone,
Lately I’ve become more and more interested in womens’s specific self defence. It’s probably for a few reasons including the fact that I haven’t really been in a situation where I have had to use physical self defence, and I wouldn’t mind being able to confidently teach a womens self defence class or at least demonstrate some techniques. But most importantly, I would also like to put more time into training for scenarios I may find myself in.

I know some people have a problem with people who don’t have direct self defence experience teaching self defence but it’s against all my self defence principles to put myself in the situation where this is more likely.

So I wanted to ask the serious question of what are common self defence scenarios and positions that women experience, especially when these differ from those commonly experienced by men. We of course practice techniques from ‘the guard’ but are there any other attacks or grabs that are more common. Am I correct in presuming that grabs and grabs or holds combined with strikes would be more common?

It seems to me like women are more likely to find themselves attacked rather than in a fight and so forms of de-escalation may not always be available options.

If there are any other sources such as books on the topic anyone can recommend please share.

Thanks for any input and feel free to change my opinion on anything I have written above.

[Hatamoto]

I know two women who were raped, both because they put themselves in incredibly vulnerable positions*. One got drunk to deal with a recent break up, went down an alley to throw up, was followed, nuff said. The other didn't do so much to put herself in danger, think her drink was spiked or something. As always the most important part of self preservation is awareness. Closest thing you could do to reproduce something like probably is put the lights out and set up a sort of course with things people can hide behind, and have them walk down it and get sprung on or something. Perhaps let the venue know what you're doing, maybe have police present to add to the scenario, advise on what might happen based on what they've seen and stuff, go out to the car park as it's getting dark with all this and have the ladies walk to their car while again, someone hides and springs them. I dunno what the risk would be of making them paranoid as opposed to merely more aware..

For what it's worth, if it was me I'd select a few not-too-overwhelmingly-disgusting case studies and discuss points where the victim had opportunity to escape or alert help or whatever, and analyse the situations. Challenge there is finding balance between "this is the reality of the situation" and "It's not safe to go outside, shut yourself off from the world." But that's going by what I've read, I've never taught such a course either.

For case studies and interviews with both victim and attacker, info on awareness, and such, there's Geoff Thompson's Dead or Alive It's the scariest and most useful thing I've read on the topic.

*I've been criticised heavily before for saying this (It's come up in conversations about law or self defence and such discussions) because I appear to be suggesting they both had it coming. I don't think anyone deserves rape but I think a lot of people put themselves in needlessly dangerous positions through lack of awareness or intoxication. Just wanted to make that clear in case it tweaked anyone's nerves. Having said that there are no doubt exceptions.

[Dikzzz]

It seems to me like women are more likely to find themselves attacked rather than in a fight and so forms of de-escalation may not always be available options.


I'd definately want to challenge this statement.

There is strong evidence worldwide that the majority of attacks on women are done by someone they know.
http://www.saynotoviolence.org/sites/default/files/Say_NO_VAW_Factsheet.pdf

Now some of these will be completely unproked attacks. But in a lot of cases there will be opportunities to de-escalate.
My experience is that there is far too much social conditioning of women - something that good, assertive responses gained from proper scenario based training can go a long way to obviate.

A good women's programme must give permission to be assertive, to act differently, to value themselves as individuals long before we get to the physical training.

In terms of your own 'experience' - seek out a good scenario trainer who can give you that experience at a visceral level. Feel free to email me and I'll try to put you in touch with someone who can do that.

Take care

[Moi]

All women should be taught BJJ from the age of 6

[Patrick Smith]

I thought the ultimate self defense move for a woman was the old fashioned groin kick? :D

http://www.cromwell-intl.com/oliver/pictures/crom-fu-manga-01.jpg