This page provides a forum for the editor of WPSN to address various topics related directly or indirectly to
women's personal safety.  The topics may vary widely across the spectrum of crime prevention.  Since
readers are encouraged to submit related comments or experiences that could be of benefit to other readers,
the opinions may not always agree with your own thoughts or ideas, or even those of the editor of WPSN.  
Your comments in response are welcome.  As this column develops, it will be  interesting to see the direction it
will ultimately go.  As editor, I am looking forward to your comments.
Opinion
Women's Personal Safety Network
Women's Safety
Information That's NOT
Just for Women Only!
SELF DEFENSE - IS IT FOR YOU?
Philosophical Outlook

A good self-defense program should reflect these philosophical points in its outlook.

  1. Women do NOT ask for, cause, invite, or deserve to be assaulted.  Women and men
    sometimes exercise poor judgment about safe behavior, but that does NOT make them
    responsible for their attacks and for an attacker's use of violence to overpower, control,
    and abuse them.
  2. Whatever a woman's decision in a given self-defense situation, whatever action she does
    or does not take, she is NOT at fault.  A women's decision to survive the best way she can
    must be respected.  Self-defense classes should not be used as judgment against a
    victim/survivor.
  3. Good self-defense programs do not "tell" an individual what she "should" or "should not"
    do.  A program should offer options, techniques, and a way for analyzing situations.  A
    program may point out what usually works best in most situations, but each situation is
    unique and the final decision rests with the person actually confronted by violence.
  4. Empowerment is the goal of a good self-defense program.  The individual's right to make
    decisions about her participation must be respected.  Pressure should not be brought to
    bear in any way to get a woman to participate in an activity in which she is hesitant or
    unwilling.
Although WPSN advocates using preventive techniques so as not to find yourself in a
dangerous situation, it is true that these situations can happen.  Self defense can help
someone feel more secure in her own ability to defend herself.  It is for this reason the
following information is supplied.  However, each situation is different and there is no sure
method of defense that will always work, nor is there a method that can guarantee that you will
not be victimized.
Common Questions About Self-Defense

  1. What is self-defense?  Self-defense is a set of awareness, assertiveness, verbal
    confrontation skills with safety strategies and physical techniques that enable someone to
    successfully escape, resist, and survive violent attacks.  A good self-defense course
    provides psychological awareness, verbal skills, and assault prevention skills, not just
    physical training.
  2. Does self-defense work?  Self-defense training can increase your options and help you
    prepare responses to slow down, de-escalate, or interrupt an attack.  Like any tool, the
    more you know about it, the more informed you are to make a decision and to use it.
  3. Is self-defense a guarantee?  There are NO guarantees when it comes to self protection.  
    However, self-defense training can increase your choices/options and your preparedness.
  4. Is there a standard self-defense course?  There are many formats for training.  They may
    be as short as two hours or as long as 8 weeks or a semester.  Whatever the length of the
    program, it should be based on maximizing options, simple techniques, and respect for
    women's experience.
  5. Must I train for years to learn to defend myself?  A basic course can help you develop
    skills and concepts.  Women often practice good self-defense strategies without knowing
    it.
  6. If I use physical self-defense, would I get hurt worse?  What does "hurt worse" mean?  
    Rape survivors speak eloquently about emotional pain long after physical pain heals.  The
    point of using self-defense is to de-escalate a situation and get away as soon as
    possible.  Knowing self-defense increases your options.
  7. How can I tell a "good" course from a "bad" one?  A good course covers critical thinking
    about assault prevention techniques, self-defense strategies, assertiveness, powerful
    communication skills, and easy-to-remember techniques.  The instructor respects and
    responds to your fears and concerns.  Instruction is based on the belief that women can
    act competently, decisively, and take action for their own protection.  Essentially, a good
    course is based on intelligence and not muscle.  It offers tools to enable a woman to
    connect with her own strength and power.

Dear Reader,
Have you taken a self-defense course that you found beneficial.  Please tell us about it.  Be sure
to include the name of the course and the city and state where it is located.  There could be more
just like it in other cities.  I and your fellow readers look forward to hearing from you.
                                                                                                                                           Sheila Schneider
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