Quote from: Claire de Lune on March 13, 2008, 01:26:23 AM
Important Safety Tip
Women are extremely vulnerable when wearing a pony tail and high heels. An assailant, especially one coming from the sides or behind, need only grab the pony tail and give it a pull. The victim is pulled off balance and is quickly on the ground, her assailant on top of her. Be careful of secluded places!
Quote from: Keira on March 13, 2008, 01:04:17 AM
The best defense is NEVER a gun, but not putting yourself in a bad situation.
The number of people that have actually warded an assault is a lot less
than people think and I see guns as more of a security blanket, or
even better, a bit like a nuke, knowing they're out there supposedly
keeps you safe unless someone's crazy enough to use one.
Unless you've got your hand on the gun when the person attacks you (you saw it coming),
what will you do if the person already got their gun out?
The best thing if your close to a safe area
would probably be to run away and weave while yelling loudly,
maybe leaving your purse behind.
Its very hard to shoot someone running and moving quickly erratically at a distance
with a handgun unless you've trained quite a bit (not likely for a crook).
Thanks for the sage advice, Keira, Claire.
The sad part of any advice is that we must share it as a survival tool.
Attacks by males on women are never sexually motivated, even if they include rape. They are crimes of power, of the muscle-flexing, chest-pounding, female-dominating male. This is the motive in the majority of attacks.
It is best to avoid places in which you could expose yourself to an attacker, like a dark street, a fringe parking lot, or in an alley shortcut. However, life goes on, so know the area in which you're walking as well as you can. Be aware of businesses that are open, homes with lights on, police stations, fire stations, anyplace where you can summon the police for help.
For as much as I believe that a Colt .45ACP will stop anything, ya get only one chance to use it right, and that chance usually never shows when you're attacked in close quarters. If an attacker finds a weapon on you it's pretty likely that he will turn it on you.
Pack two better weapons if you can: gain skill in the martial arts, and don't leave yourself open to attack by walking on places that are generally acknowledged to be hazardous to women.
Bar hopping? Take some friends and go by taxi wherever you go.
Taking night classes? Try to get there earlier to get a parking spot closer to the building, or share the ride with a classmate.
When I was in my prior life I was more afraid of walking in dark places than I am now. There are no rules in a street fight and if you are attacked, you're in a street fight. Be aware of the weapons you have at-hand and *do not hesitate to use them!!!*
Good, strong nails applied to the eyes cause damage but *don't worry about it!* A car key can lacerate a face and put an attacker off-balance long enough for you to get some distance.
Maybe you won't get grabbed by your pony tail but you're wearing heels. A heel ripped down the attacker's leg causes a laceration with pain, bleeding, and can render him a whole lot less dangerous.
Whatever weapon you have at-hand, do not hesitate to use it. It's either you or him.
If you shout for help, yell something like, "It's an attack! Call the cops!" People seem to respond to a distress call more often if you give them a reason and what to do. This should work better than yelling "Help!"
Read "Back Off!" by Martha Langelan It's out-of-print but should be available on Amazon. It dissects the male hostility towards woman and gives practical ideas and strategies for dealing with it on public transit, at work, in the street, and other places.
Enjoy the coming spring and summer!
Wing Walker
