Safety Measures Every Lady Should Know

I took a self-defense course a few months ago led by Gabriel Rubin, founder of Female Awareness (click HERE to go to her site) . I recommend every woman take this inexpensive but extremely informative course if she wants to feel more confident when walking the streets of New York or other urban areas (or even suburban, like while walking to your car at night), to know what to look out for and how to prevent attacks from happening.

Of course, I can't give away all of her secrets but I want to share a few (with my own interpretation) that have really helped me feel more confident and safe when I walk to work early in the morning or late at night.

1) KNOW WHO IS AROUND YOU If you're walking down an empty street, check behind you every now and then (couple times per block or so) to make sure you know (and make eye contact with) anyone who's nearby. By doing this, the likelihood of being attacked decreases because a) There's less of a chance of the person sneaking up on you (attackers depend on the element of surprise) and b) He/she will be hesitant to proceed because they'll know that you've seen them. By knowing who's around you, you're saying, "I know you're there and I'll fight back" and "I can identify your face in a line-in up so I'd think twice about messing with me."

2) AVOID DISTRACTIONS Talking on our cell phones or listening to music full blast are examples of ways our attention can be misdirected and we can therefore miss seeing an attack coming. If you're in a situation, especially if there aren't many other people around, tell the person you'll call them back or turn down the music so you can know your surroundings, hear any approaching foot steps or anything else that may tip you off that an attack may be coming.

3) HAVE A SAFETY DEVICE READY! It doesn't do a whole lot of good to have pepper spray at the bottom of your purse. If you are approached, what are you going to do? Tell the guy, "What a second, I need to get something out of my purse"? Not so much.
He's not going to wait and you're not going to have time. I feel much safer now that I carry the spray that is legal in my state in my pocket at all times. And it's not only in my pocket but it's also in the On position and I have my hand on it as if I were about to use it. This way, if by some chance I do become distracted or don't know who's around me and I get attacked, I can quickly retaliate and get out of there. Also, Rubin recommends trying out the spray (or other device) at some point before actually needing it so you can know exactly how it works.

Taking the course also showed me some basic moves, such as how to get out of various positions like hand grabs or being choked, and how and where to hit the attacker to cause him at least enough pain that he'll stop for a few moments so I can get out as fast as possible. Because that's the goal....TO GET AWAY (versus stay and chat or try to retaliate)!

Keep these in mind and, if at all possible, take a self defense class to be prepared!
xo Jodi