VERY IMPORTANT: A Must-Read for Women

[SuperXO]

I hope you get some good practice. it can be fun, when you're just practicing with someone you kow. But, let me tell you, it was actually kind of scary when my boyfriend pretended to slice my throat open! I was like, "Wow, this is how someone feels when they are being murdered." Okay, that was a gross thought...but it helped motivate me to learn how to prevent it from happening!

About the gun, you'd have to fight quick. That's why I'd still be nervous about this method. After you pivot, you'd have to attack immeidately, even almost simultaneously. Pivot, then seriously reach for his eyes. Remember, this is the number one choise, even over groins. But, at the same time, it would probably be important to make him drop the gun. See, this one is really hard and you have to be more conscious of your own abilities and reaction time and all that. In most cases, it's best to just go along. Like give him your purse, or whatever. But, if he is about to kidnap you, which statistically, you are not likely to sruvive, what have you got to lose? So, if I were you, I'd practice it more and maybe someone with a little more experience can give you better advice.

About the knife, you are definitely strong enough. You don't actually pull yourself up. Picture this. Can you do a pull-up? I can't. But, if someone lifts me up so that my chin is over the bar, I CAN hold myself there for quite a while. That's the same thing. Just imagine this guy's arm is the bar. It's right below your chin. You use your one arm to just try to hold yourself in place as stiff as possible. You don't have to try to raise up above it any further, just hold on tight! Do you get it? I have no idea how clear this sounds coming across in words rather than by visuals.

good luck practicing1 I bet it will all come clear when you have someone to practice with!

[newbie]

Thanks again SuperXO . Sorry I have a fwe more questions again ! In your previous post, you mentioned that we should do an inward pull up, and hold onto his wrist close to our body...but wouldn't that make the knife close to our body again? Also, I don't know, after a while, won't our strength dissipate, and won't we have to let go? Ahh, sorry about so many questions - I really do need to start practiciing!!!!

Thanks again for taking time out to practice and hand me some tips !!!!

p.S. also when we hold on tight to his wrist, do you think he will have enough power/strength to throw us to the ground face-down?!? (*shudder*) I know that that is better than being sliced to death, but still, the impact could be hard!


[This message has been edited by newbie (edited July 16, 2001).]

[SuperXO]

Newbie, you don't actually have to do a pull-up, because your kind of already in pull-up position (his arm is like the bar, and it should be under your chin already, so there is nothing to "pull-up" to, but you should hang on him, like you would hang on the pull-up bar if you were already at the top of the pull-up. Yes, eventually your strength would wear out, but so should his. And it shouldn't be a battle of endurance, because you should then sneakily reach back and squash his testicles!!!

As far as the knife being closer, yes, it'll be close, but with you hanging on, it cannot cut your skin, because if he tries to move the knife, he has to move his hand and if he moves his hand (with you hanging on), he moves you, too, therefore he cannot cut your skin since both your neck and the knife are moving in the same direction at the same speed. See what I mean? That one, you'll just have ot practice and find out that it works. I was worried about that, too, but when we did it, it really worked. He could not get the knife to "cut" my skin.

I guess a really strong guy could throw you to the ground. I don't know. I doubt you would land on your face though. Your instincts would probably kick in and you'd get your elbows up. Just like, say, if you are rollerblading and trip, sometimes you might land on your face, but usually, you land on your elbows, which is why you wear elbow pads.

So, tell me what you think when you get to practice these moves, alright?

[newbie]

Thanks for clarifying for me, SuperXO! My bf is coming home from camp this Friday...so I'll have him help me with it!!!! Will keep you posted !

[SilverTurtle]

My mom always taught us these things growing up. (She grew up in a tough neighborhood & went to a tough school. Somehow she managed to combine her toughness with the awesome person she is! Here's some tips (some are things that have been discussed already)

• The eye thing: I'll bet I've known how to gouge out someone's eyes since I was 11 years old (although I've never had to do it, my mom actually saw it done once !)
  
• Always carry a metal nail file. If you find yourself walking alone (or even with friends) at night, in a bad neighborhood, etc. you can slide it under your shirt sleeve or watch band with the pointy side facing out. If you get attacked, jab it hard and quick into the stomach of the attacker and pull up forcefully. This will rip them open enough to give you time to get away. *If you don't have a metal nail file, keys work, but they're not as sharp*
• If your attacker has long hair, you can grab it and pull their head down hard onto their chest. If you do this hard enough their chin will hit their sternum and knock them out momentarily.
• Avoid grabbing/kicking the groin area. This is the one place that attakers think to shield. Not their eyes or stomach. If, however, that's your best option, take it!
• It's harder to hit a target moving in a straight line that one moving in zig-zags or swerving. If someone has a gun pulled, RUN IN A STRAIGHT LINE.

That last tip was from a former body guard I now work with. The rest from my mom. Most of all, be AWARE like everyone has said. If you appear to be aware, confident and going someplace, you're less likely to be attacked. Use the buddy system when possible, and get a security guard to walk you to your car/home if possible. That's why they get paid.

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SilverTurtle

Phi Beta Fraternity: National Professional Association for the Creative & Performing Arts

[pbpck]

Guys,

One of my sorority sisters sent me a similar e-mail. It stated in a gun situation, ALWAYS RUN. Even cops who are very thoroughly trained, only hit their targets 30% of the time or something like that at as little as a 3 foot range! And the chances of you getting shot (if shot at all) in a vital organ area is almost obsolete! Now adapt those percentages with a nervous criminal who probably just bought the gun and is most likely not trained to shoot a gun. So get out of the situation and run like H-E-double hockey sticks, folks!

[newbie]

Thank you Jacque and SilverTurtle!!!

SilverTurtle, I didn't know that metal files were that useful! I"ll have to go out and buy one, then !

Jacque, wow, that statistic about cops only hitting their targets 30 percent of the time is very interesting, to say the least!! Thanks again for the info .

[lifesaver]

Also let me add, NEVER get into a car even if forced. Run, scream whatever.

One of my brothers I'll call Nathan was at the bank a few years ago, nice part of town, 2 in the afternoon. A guy comes up to him, starts talking to him as he's getting into his car (had just cashed his paycheck) and lifts up his shirt just enough to reveal the butt of a gun in his waistband. He tells Nate to get in his truck, and drive. Nate does as told, and as they are driving into the country, sees another car (accomplises) fall in behind them in another car. They marched him out into the woods about 15 miles out of town, then knocked him out with a tire iron. He comes to some hours later, his wallet is gone, along with his cell phone, truck, and shoes (so he wouldnt be able to walk inthe woods). Fortunately, Nate was raised in the country and has some outdoors sense, he walked back to the highway and flagged down a motorist, who calls 911 on his cell. Thank GOD Nate was ok. It shook him up something bad. Nate isnt a small guy either, 6'1", and about 230 lbs. It took him a few months to get back to normal. They never got the guys who did it, but at least he survived, and is getting married this November to a great girl.

The one thing the police told us after was to never get into a vehicle like Nate did. By getting in, you are giving the abductors the power, and all the cards. If you run, you have a chance to escape. You get into the car, your chances of escape diminsh grately. Even if they were to shoot at you, the chances of them striking you arent great, and many gunshot wounds are survivable.

Just my cautionary tale....

[This message has been edited by lifesaver (edited July 24, 2001).]

[niccy888]

Originally Posted by SuperXO

And it shouldn't be a battle of endurance, because you should then sneakily reach back and squash his testicles!!!

Great thread and super posts SuperXO. You have a great attitude to defending yourself that I wish many other women could follow.

My best friend was grabbed from behind and she took inspiration from a woman she heard about who escaped her attacker by grabbing and squeezing his exposed testicles. She did the same thing to her attacker and even though his testicles were not exposed she managed to score a direct hit. We found out later that she actually ruptured one of his testicles. Her attacker was arrested after being totally immobilized for around fifteen minutes.

As for me, if ever I am attacked by a male attacker I wont hesitate to go for his balls. Sooner or later he will possibly have his defenses down and his testicles wide open for attack, and shortly after he will seriously regret ever laying a finger on me.

[niccy888]

Originally Posted by SuperXO

And it shouldn't be a battle of endurance, because you should then sneakily reach back and squash his testicles!!!

Great thread and super posts SuperXO. You have a great attitude to defending yourself that I wish many other women could follow.

My best friend was grabbed from behind and she took inspiration from a woman she heard about who escaped her attacker by grabbing and squeezing his exposed testicles. She did the same thing to her attacker and even though his testicles were not exposed she managed to score a direct hit. We found out later that she actually ruptured one of his testicles. Her attacker was arrested after being totally immobilized for around fifteen minutes.

As for me, if ever I am attacked by a male attacker I wont hesitate to go for his balls. Sooner or later he will possibly have his defenses down and his testicles wide open for attack, and shortly after he will seriously regret ever laying a finger on me.