Authored by Ruth Dsouza Prabhu in Self Improvement 
Published on 12-06-2009

Women are often soft targets for a violent attack. Though this should not be interpreted as gender bias, the fact remains that women are often vulnerable to attacks. Staying safe has several basic rules such as remaining in a crowd, locking all doors and windows when you are driving and being aware of who is walking around you. This is not always possible considering the jet-set age we live in. Women do tend to work late, walk home alone at night and even forget to bolt down that window on the one day they are alone at home.

The key to self defense is a strong sense of survival. When faced with danger think of all those things that make life worth living and fight to live that wonderful life. In the face of adversity let positive thoughts be your driving force to protect yourself. You will need to sum up all the positivity in the first few seconds of the attack of course. The first few moments of the attack are crucial. A good self defense class will teach you not to freeze in fright. Being able to fight back in an instant will catch your opponent off guard.

Knowing some simple self defense techniques gives you a better fighting chance when face-to-face with a formidable opponent. Remember however, that your primary goal is to quickly get as far away as possible from your attacker. Of course, you will be frightened – anybody would be. Use the adrenaline rush of fear to propel you to fight rather than make you more susceptible.

If you find yourself cornered and the chances of running away are slim, then mentally brace yourself for an attack. In such a situation the first thing you should do is make as much noise as you possibly can. You never know who might hear you and come to help. Keep yelling the word ‘NO’. This will also help you breathe which is absolutely vital in an attack. Also remember that your attacker will be scared of getting caught and the noise will deter him for a few seconds.

When it comes to fighting, remember never to try and punch your attacker. He can immobilize you easily. Instead try hitting – use your hands, your elbows, knees and even latch on with your teeth. Grab at soft flesh in areas where you know it will hurt a lot – under the arms, inner part of the thighs, and the groin. When he eases his grip on you because of the pain, run for all you are worth. Remember that the idea is to get away. If you know you are being forced into a vehicle, then try and fight as hard as possible not to. Being out in the open gives you a better fighting chance than the controlled environment of the attacker’s choice.

Most self defense courses will teach you certain maneuvers that will come in handy when faced with a variety of situations – a robbery, possible armed robbery, sexual assault, kidnapping and other such situations. To better prepare yourself, attend some of these courses. Practice the moves you learn in groups of threes. This will enable you to immobilize your attacker for a longer period and give you a larger head start.

When you are in a possibly life-threatening situation, your instinct and main aim should be to escape. Self defense classes refer to this as the Stun and Run. You would not want to maim your attacker in such a way as to turn tables on yourself and risk a legal case. When faced with an attacker, work your way around creating a window of opportunity to run away.