28/06/2020
Avoid being a r**e victim, but please avoid doing such heinous act (!R**E!)
Self-defence, especially for women, is of utmost importance in the kind of the world we live in today. Women, usually referred as the weaker s*x, are considered easier targets. In a country like India where the cases of gender violence are on rise, out of which many go unreported, self-defence for women has become a necessity more than ever.
Society’s Approach Towards Crime Against Women
R**e, molestation, kidnapping and murder are the most common forms of crime against women in India. The women in India are also vulnerable to acid attacks and eve-teasing. The mindset of the people, including the victim and the spectator, is to ignore and just let it go. But, what we, as the responsible citizens of an independent country, fail to realise is that these instances of harassment can flare up into other bigger heinous crimes against women. And that is when the importance of learning self-defence techniques for women is felt.
Various studies have shown that the criminals tend to choose their targets when they (the potential victim) are unaware of the surroundings. Hence, it is time that each woman became vigilant and totally aware of the surroundings.
The women should be aware of the strategies to be adopted under different adverse circumstances. For example, if you’re alone at home during such an attack, you should hurriedly run to kitchen to find chili powder and knives to use them as weapons.
Here is the list of possible measures that women should take to safely steer away from danger:
1. Note down the number of the cab when travelling alone.
2. Enrol themselves for self-defence classes and learn several techniques to physically fight the attacker.
3. Opt for trainings in basic karate, kickboxing, Israeli krav-maga, and traditional stick fighting.
Some Quick Tips & Tricks for Self-defence
1. Pretend to be submissive at first and fight back when the attacker is off-guard.
2. Stay fit enough to run fast.
3. Keep a check when walking on the road to avoid groping or chain-snatching from behind.
4. Keep your purse to your front and walk paying full attention around.
5. Try avoiding high-heeled footwear when you have to walk a long distance and in unknown territories.
6. Say out ‘STOP’ in a loud and aggressive voice when need be but avoid using swear words or threats.
Though the self-defence training might not be easily available everywhere, women can make up for this by being updated about the gender violence issues across newspapers, television and magazines. Also, the women in smaller cities can learn self-defence techniques from websites which have proper training content and tutorials.
