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Self-Defense News

What the Media Says About Self-Defense

Self-defense news are about all sides of taking care of oneself... That is, all sides but one: Guns and the eternal debate of using deadly force. This is not the same as saying that I'm totally against the idea of concealed carry, or using whatever means that are available at any given time. It's just that this theme brings up the heated debate of pros and cons faster than you can say "Right to bear arms". So, let that be something others can fight over. Here we'll aim at all the news that don't involve the discussion mentioned above.

Side note: Make sure you have an in-depth look at all the free stuff inside 'The Martial Arts Vault'!

Such self-defense news can involve various success stories - which you also may find here. You may also from time to time find some of the same news-briefs here: Martial Arts News.

Or , it may be that there are new products out, or ideas about personal protection - maybe some strange laws or unusual results involving the use of force and heavy, physical resistance. As long as it is self-defense news in one way or another (excluding the gun-issues), then we may include it here :-)

So without furher ado, let's hear it for the media and self-defence!

Robber shot with own gun:

From: http://www.kpho.com/news/16251312/detail.html
(April 13, 2008):

Arizona -- A Phoenix store owner shot an robber three times Monday after wrestling the robber's gun away, according to police.

When the robber momentarily let his guard down, the store owner lunged for the gun and wrestled it away, then shot the robber.

When asked how come he was bold enough to go for the gun, the owner said he has studied karate for the past five years.

Read the rest of the story on Kpho.com

Safe from harm:

From: http://www.bclocalnews.com
(April 28, 2008):

Canada -- Nine-year-old Sean-Douglas Sime never thought he’d have to use his martial arts skills to save himself from harm.

But in February, Sean-Douglas and his 11-year-old brother were walking a short distance to a friend’s house. The older brother ran ahead while Sean-Douglas fell behind as he sauntered down the Queen’s Park neighbourhood sidewalk.

The boy said a man jumped out from behind bushes and grabbed him from behind in a choke hold. With the stranger’s arms around him, the boy initially panicked—despite the training. He let out a yell for help which his brother heard and then ran back to help. But by the time his brother returned, it was over.

The assailant was staggering away, hobbled by an injured knee. The young boy had broken the man’s grip with the techniques he learned, and then came back with a side round kick. He connected with the side of his attacker’s knee, causing him to fall to the ground incapacitated.

“The guy went down to the ground screaming,” said the boys' father, recounting their description to him.

Read the rest of the story on Bclocalnews.com

Karate kid fends off 4 muggers on Long Island:

From: http://wcbstv.com/topstories/local_story_096155944.html
(April 10, 2007):

The 17-year-old brown belt has been training karate since he could walk. His father and teacher has been by his side from day one. Now John Benedict Jr.'s dedication to the arts has paid off when he helped fight off would-be muggers outside a local mall.

The teenager says he was leaving the Long Island mall on Wednesday night with some friends when a much bigger and older teen approached him and demanded a gold chain he was wearing. When the intended victim refused to hand over the chain, the culprit tried to punch Benedict. The would-be mugger found himself eating dirt when he was shoved to the ground.

However, the melee wasn't quite over. The assailant left and came back with a car full of other teens armed with tire irons and crow bars. According to the karate teen he wasn't really scared at all "because when I train in my classes I fight against six or seven adults at the same time."

Benedict was able to fight off his attackers, while a friend, who also recently took up karate, was able to chase away two of them. Two other attackers were arrested by police.

Read the rest of the story on Wcbstv.com

George, 67, thumps would-be mugger:

From: http://www.burystedmundstoday.co.uk
(November 10, 2006):

UK -- Three would-be muggers who targeted a pensioner fled empty-handed after their victim, an ex-Army and England boxer, punched one of them on the chin.

Former middleweight George Bayliss, 67, had just drawn his pension when the three men surrounded him and demanded he handed over his money.

"I just threw a left at him – it was a peach, a real cracker," said George. "I was really angry. I worked hard for that money, I did my time – they're not having it. That was my attitude. If I go down, I go down fighting. "I think really they were a bit shocked – they picked on the wrong person."

George, who holds several Amateur Boxing Association titles, still trains and goes running. He has also learnt the martial art Tai Kwon Do and taught his three sons Mark, Ben and Wayne to box.

Read the rest of the story on Burystedmundstoday.co.uk

Karate kid, 12, breaks 15 stone mugger's nose:

From: http://www.dailymail.co.uk
(June 14, 2006):

A 12-year-old karate champion told today how he turned the tables on a would-be mugger when he unleashed his martial arts skills on the yob.

Jake Oliver was walking back to his home in Hartcliffe, Bristol, on Saturday morning when he was confronted by the balaclava-clad thug. The stocky, 5ft 10ins, assailant had leapt out from behind a bush and demanded Jake's phone.

But the unruffled youngster - who won a gold medal at a national karate championships last year - refused and delivered a karate chop, which broke the man's nose.

Read the rest of the story on Dailymail.co.uk

Woman Fends Off Attacker On Santa Cruz Beach:

From: http://www.nbc11.com/news/9343707/detail.html
(June 8, 2006):

A 50-year-old woman fended off an attack by a 43-year-old convicted sex offender on a Santa Cruz beach by throwing sand in his eyes on Tuesday, Santa Cruz police said today.

The woman told police the man had chatted with her briefly before he allegedly pushed her down on the ground and forced himself on top of her.

The woman, who was alone on the beach, said she warded him off by screaming and throwing sand in his face, police reported.

Read the rest of the story on Nbc11.com

Cell phone picture leads to teen's arrest:

From: upi.com/NewsTrack/view.php?StoryID=20060525-074230-8289r
(May 25, 2006):

Kai, Japan -- A youngster used her cell phone to alert Japanese police that a friend was being abducted, leading to the arrest of a kidnapping suspect.

The 16-year-old suspect allegedly tried to grab a 6-year-old girl Tuesday as she left the JR Shiozaki Station in Kai, Mainichi Shimbun reported. The suspect fled on a motorbike after the girl set off a security alarm in her bag.

Her friend got a photo of the teenager and the license plate of his motorbike, as he sped away, information that enabled police to track him down.

Read the rest of the story on Upi.com

Good, bad & stupid:

From: http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/entertainment/gossip/14607889.htm
(May 18, 2006):

It was a good week for taking lessons, reports The Week, after Colorado teen Brittney Richardson, 14, who'd studied karate for two years, fought off a man who tried to grab her as she walked home from a grocery store, leveling him with a blow to the face.

Read the rest of the story on Ohio.com

Defense class strengthens women:

From: http://www.orion-online.net
(April 17, 2006):

Lying on the matted floor of Haley's Martial Arts Center, surrounded by a circle of women in a self-defense class, I closed my eyes and took deep, quivering breaths. I envisioned myself, a 20-year-old Chico State student, alone in an orchard, helpless to an attacker. The faces of my mother, father, brother and sister flashed in my head.

It was time for my affirmation. What followed was something I never expected.

"My name is Josselin Basaldu. And I will not let anyone take advantage of me," I bellowed.

My heart raced and I felt my attacker's weight on top of me. My eyes shot open, and my body responded quickly with flailing legs and punching fists.

Read the rest of the story on Orion-online.net

Woman who shot in self-defense talks to 9News:

From: http://www.wcpo.com/news/2006/local/04/17/manshot_folo.html
(April 17, 2006):

The outcome could've been much more tragic.

A 28-year-old Clermont County woman woke up Monday morning to find a man pointing a gun at her face.

That man was her ex-boyfriend, and what she was able to do in the minutes that followed may have saved her life.

It happened at her home on the 1500 block of US 50 in Stonelick Township.

But this would be victim was able to turn the tables on her attacker.

Read the rest of the story on Wcpo.com

Making the city safer:

From: http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=122382
(April 2, 2006):

Murder. Rape. Rampant eve teasing. Venturing out for Delhi’s women is a challenge that few would admit not being daunted by at some level. A concern that has got highlighted by a few sensational cases in the city over the last few years, and has begun affecting sections that were hitherto unaffected by the menace.

With an increase in the number of working hours for women, as well as markets remaining open longer, the challenge has only increased considerably. Among the responses is the Safe Delhi Campaign – launched by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in partnership with the Delhi government and Jagori, an NGO.

“The Safe Delhi Campaign will include lighting up of poorly lit areas, conducting gender sensitisation programmes and self-defence classes for women,” says Ankur Bhatia, chairman, Delhi State Council, CII.

Taking from Canada’s Metrac, which initiated the concept of safety audits, from August to November last year, Jagori conducted safety audits on 22 locations across the city as a pilot project, says Kalpana Vishwanath, Coordinator, Jagori.

Read the rest of the story on Financialexpress.com

Police sponsor self defense training for girls:

From: http://abclocal.go.com/kfsn/story?section=local&id=4043044
(March 31, 2006):

It's a lesson that proved effective for one Fresno girl, and now police want to make sure other students learn how to fight off a would-be attacker.

Girls from the Funston Boys and Girls Club got a lesson in self defense from karate students Thursday afternoon at Edison Computec.

The event was sponsored by the Fresno Police Activities League in hopes of some self defense and common sense child safety.

"Besides learning self defense today, I want them to be a part of this class and learn some discipline and learn some tradition and be part of the art," said reserve officer Vincent Santana.

Read the rest here (pdf document). Open in new window here.

Japanese children learn self-defense:

From: http://www.manilatimes.net
(March 28, 2006):

Six-year-old Shino Katagiri does not start primary school until April, but her mother is already putting her into classes—on how to defend herself against violent attackers.

As an adult self-defense instructor plays the bad guy, the terrified little girl huddles into a chair and refuses to take part in the lesson her mother has brought her to.

It is nearly one hour before Shino musters the courage to try to do as she is asked: kick her skin-headed instructor. After tossing up her foot, which only reaches the instructor’s leg, she breaks into tears.

“I felt tense,” Shino says as she returns to sulking.

But her mother, Yumi Katagiri, has no regrets about putting her daughter into the frightening Sunday-afternoon session.

Read the rest here (pdf document). Open in new window here.

Oil attack chef freed:

From: http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk
(March 18, 2006):

A chef who poured hot oil over a yob's face after he threatened to torch his shop was yesterday cleared of assault.

Mohammed Sadiq, 55, told the High Court in Glasgow that he thought 25-year-old Andrew Richford, of Fernhill, Rutherglen, near Glasgow, was going to attack him.

The jury accepted Sadiq's claim of self-defence and gave a not proven verdict.

Read the rest here (pdf document). Open in new window here.

Top cop condemns level of force used by Palace bouncers:

From: http://iclanarkshire.icnetwork.co.uk
(March 16, 2006):

Police this week condemned the degree of force used by bouncers to eject a troublesome customer from Hamilton Palace.

Police detailed the incident on Monday in a submission to Hamilton Licensing Board.

Mr Thomson said that as the customers were being escorted from the premises, the male began struggling and allegedly bit two of the stewards.

The police officer added: "An altercation took place where it is alleged that two stewards assaulted this male by punching and kicking him to the head and body several times causing facial bruising and swelling."

Mr Thomson continued: "The chief constable accepts that the stewards faced substantial provocation and initially acted in self defence, however, their subsequent retaliatory actions allegedly went far beyond acceptable levels of reasonable force. This was particularly the case in respect of the first steward."

Read the rest here (pdf document). Open in new window here.

Warrior Sonia scares off wannabe mugger:

From: http://www.eastlondonadvertiser.co.uk
(March 15, 2006):

Sonia Petrone, a 48-year-old Italian, was confronted by a man with a knife in the backstreets of Arnold Circus, off Bethnal Green Road.

She kept her head, and, whipping out the personal alarm given to her as part of the course, the deafening noise scared of her assailant, who left empty handed.

She said she had realised he was following her: "We had been taught to notice our surroundings on the course and I realised it was important to take control of the situation.

"It was very frightening but I am so pleased I had the alarm and knew what to do," she recalled of the incident which happened a couple of weeks ago.

Read the rest here (pdf document). Open in new window here.

Pink Ladies:

From: http://www.textually.org/textually/archives/2006/03/011829.htm
(March 15, 2006):

Pink Ladies is the UK's first women-only private car hire franchise - geared towards women who feel safer taking a taxi driven by a woman.

"Passengers sign up as members, and fares are either pre-paid, paid by credit card or with a 'pink account', which is both convenient for members and safe for drivers.

Booking is done over the phone, and a text message is sent to the customer to let her know the vehicle is approaching, which means she doesn't have to wait outside.

Drivers are trained in self-defense and will wait outside a customer's home after a drop-off to ensure she gets in.

Read the rest here (pdf document). Open in new window here.

Sellers on edge after real estate agent attacked:

From: http://www.wesh.com/news/8003813/detail.html?rss=orl&psp=news
(March 14, 2006):

Police said when Janice Flasscheon showed a home on Elizabeth Place in South Daytona on Monday a man posing as a homebuyer pulled out a hammer and attacked her.

After Flasschoen was attacked, she turned the tables on the suspect. She was alone showing the property, and many agents, particularly women, do the same thing day in and day out. Real estate can be profitable, but it can sometimes be scary and risky business.

"I carry my cell phone and I have my pepper spray," said realtor Michele Lenharr.

They are unusual tools of the trade, but Lenharr said she wouldn't be without them. A lone woman who makes her living meeting strangers, Lenharr has a game plan.

"I keep the back door open so I have an escape route, and I park my car in front of the house, not in the driveway, so I have an escape route if I should feel threatened in anyway," she said.

Read the rest here (pdf document). Open in new window here.

High court ponders automatism defence in sensational Quebec murder case:

From: http://news.yahoo.com/s/cpress/20060313/ca_pr_on_na/scoc_automatism
(March 13, 2006):

A Quebec woman who shot her husband dead while he slept is hoping the Supreme Court of Canada will uphold her acquittal by a lower court, partly on the grounds that she was in a robotic state when she pulled the trigger.

Lawyers for Rita Graveline argue that the judge in her original trial was correct to tell the jury they could consider the defence of "automatism" in deciding her guilt or innocence. Graveline, now 57, of Luskville, Que., was acquitted of second-degree murder after she killed her alcoholic husband Michael in 1999.

The two had been married for 31 years, but Rita Graveline had spent many of those years being beaten and abused.

Two psychiatrists testified at her trial that when she killed her husband, Graveline was in a trance-like state known as automatism, brought on by suppressed rage caused by the abuse.

Read the rest here (pdf document). Open in new window here.

Armed and elderly:

From: http://www.heraldextra.com/content/view/169739/
(March 12, 2006):

A couple dozen residents of the Seville retirement home in Orem gathered for an hour-long "Combat Cane" self-defense class Saturday afternoon.

It is important for seniors to remember they can defend themselves, said Cheryl Nyman, who manages the Seville with her husband, Greg.

"We thought it was a great idea to bring this to our residents," she said. "These are all vital seniors. A lot of them still drive their own cars and we have an active walking group and I worry about them."

Any senior with a cane also has a weapon against thugs and muggers, said Rod Carmichael, physical therapist and self-defense enthusiast who teaches Combat Cane classes across Utah.

The key is to strike decisively the first time.

"If you have to defend yourself with a cane, do as much damage as you can do because it may be your only chance," he said.

Read the rest here (pdf document). Open in new window here.

Students learn self defense:

From: capitalnews9.com/content/living/9_on_education/?ArID=171614
(March 10, 2006):

It may look like just another gym class, but it's actually a new self defense program at Saratoga Springs High School, where 2,200 students learn about personal safety.

Susan Hoffman of the Physical Education Dept. said, "This is a response to provide an educational piece so we can empower our students to have options if they find themselves in a rough situation."

That message is right on the teaching staff's shirts -- G.A.R.A., which stands for "getting away, right away." It's the first step in self defense. Other topics include mental awareness, risk reduction and escape techniques. Then, it's on to the physical side.

Student Teacher Matt McMahon said, "Just basic moves -- punching, kicking, pinches, just anything they can do to get out of a situation that could cause them harm."

Read the rest here (pdf document). Open in new window here.

Self Defense: Top 5 Ways to Avoid Danger:

From: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,187519,00.html
(March 10, 2006):

How safe are you? If government statistics are any indication, there’s reason to feel somewhat secure.

The latest U.S. Department of Justice crime figures show personal crimes -- which include rape, sexual assault, robbery, and aggravated and simple assault -- are at their lowest levels on record.

Property crimes -- which include burglary, car theft, and theft -- have stabilized after years of decline.

Yet this is no time to be complacent. Many criminals prey on people who are off guard, say crime and self-defense specialists who talked with WebMD. Criminals look for people who are not paying attention to their surroundings, and then use the element of surprise to their advantage.

“Criminals don’t want to get caught,” says Tony Farrenkopf, PhD, a clinical and forensic psychologist in private practice in Portland. “They ask themselves, ‘Does this person look attackable? Does this person look vulnerable? Can I get away with something here?’”

In the U.S., criminals were able to carry out 24 million crimes in 2004. For every 1,000 people age 12 and older, there occurred:

--One rape or sexual assault
--Two assaults with injury
--Two robberies

Read the rest here (pdf document). Open in new window here.

Woman cleared of injuring her husband:

From: http://www.di-ve.com/dive/portal/portal.jhtml?id=222077&pid=1
(March 8, 2006):

Malta: Marica Cerniglio, 29, of Bugibba, was cleared of injuring her estranged husband, Mourad Mekhoukhe, in the leg with a knife after that magistrate Miriam Hayman ruled she had acted in self-defence.

Cerniglio was originally charged with assaulting and seriously injuring her husband in their home on June 11, 2004.

Magistrate Hayman heard how on the day of the incident, Mr Mekhouke refused to let his wife in and after that she made her way in, he assaulted her. During a scuffle, he grabbed a knife which however fell and landed on his leg.

Read the rest here (pdf document). Open in new window here.

Gear Junkie: Some downright handy new equipment:

From: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com
(March 2, 2006):

Princeton Tec's trade show debut was not a fancy new headlamp. Instead, the company introduced a small black flashlight that will cost a pricey $85 when it ships in June.

But the Genesis is a super-bright model, with a company rating of 47 lumens.

This intense light, which comes from a 3-watt LED, can be used as a self-defense tool, temporarily blinding or disorienting a bad guy. In the outdoors, the light could be used to scout climbing routes in the dark or chase off unwanted campground wildlife (www.princetontec.com).

Read the rest here (pdf document). Open in new window here.

GPs find way out from patient rage:

From: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au
(March 1, 2006):

Violent patients are proving such a threat in doctors' surgeries that some GPs have resorted to buying fake guns or taking martial arts lessons.

Many doctors cope by insulating themselves from the dangers by refusing house calls to dangerous areas or at night, or by blacklisting patients with a history of trouble.

But a study of violence in Australian surgeries, conducted by researchers at the University of Newcastle in NSW, shows some GPs feel compelled to go further - devising escape routes in their surgeries so they can flee an attacker, or fitting alarm systems connected to the local police stations.

And a handful of GPs took more unorthodox measures - such as one doctor who bought a fake gun to brandish at any would-be assailant, and another who took up tae kwon do as a form of self-defence.

Read the rest here (pdf document). Open in new window here.

Creative Self Defense:

From: http://www.kidktv.com/x69256.xml
(February 23, 2006):

Idaho Falls - A woman fights off a possible burglar, all thanks to a can of oven cleaner.

The victim came home yesterday, finding a man inside.

He attacked her, and the woman was able to distract the suspect by spraying oven cleaner in his eyes.

The Bonneville County Sheriff's Office encourages people to use any kind of self defense when attacked.

"Basically, the gloves are off. Whatever you need to do to make sure your life is safe is what you can do. In her case, she had oven cleaner in the perimeter that she was able to use that," says Sgt. Doug Metcalf.

Read the rest here (pdf document). Open in new window here.

JPJ officers have self-defence training:

From: http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v3/news_lite.php?id=181824
(February 22, 2006):

MELAKA, (Bernama) -- Beware! Officers from the Road Transport Department (JPJ) will not hesitate to strike back in self-defence in case they are assaulted.

The warning came from Malaysia Road Transport Academy director Wan Idrus Wan Sariff to anyone who tries to interfere with JPJ enforcement officers doing their duty.

Self-defence is part of the training for new JPJ enforcement officers at the academy at Tiang Dua near here.

The training, which is compulsory for all trainees, was introduced in 2004.

Read the rest here (pdf document). Open in new window here.

Date rape detractor, RapeX condom, at top of list of female safety methods:

From: gsusignal.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2006/02/14/43f358cb3c955
(February 14, 2006):

In pursuit of that ever elusive romance, blind dates, random hook-ups, and first and only dates abound. Most end up alright, though do not lead to love. But what about those that end negatively? What protections can be carried in a purse or pocket?

Perhaps the most controversial palm-sized protector is the soon to be released Anti-Rape or RapeX Condom from Sonette Ehlers of South Africa.

This device is designed to be used by women who for whatever reason feel they need to protect themselves from rape. The condom is inserted like a tampon and is neither visible nor dangerous to the user. But, it is very dangerous for any man who tries to go too far with the user. The device will clamp onto the man’s member with hook-like claws, causing extreme pain and requiring medical attention to be removed.

Read the rest here (pdf document). Open in new window here.

Iran to hang teenage girl attacked by rapists:

From: http://www.iranfocus.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=5184
(January 7, 2006):

An Iranian court has sentenced a teenage rape victim to death by hanging after she weepingly confessed that she had unintentionally killed a man who had tried to rape both her and her niece.

The state-run daily Etemaad reported on Saturday that 18-year-old Nazanin confessed to stabbing one of three men who had attacked the pair along with their boyfriends while they were spending some time in a park west of the Iranian capital in March 2005.

Nazanin, who was 17 years old at the time of the incident, said that after the three men started to throw stones at them, the two girls’ boyfriends quickly escaped on their motorbikes leaving the pair helpless.

She described how the three men pushed her and her 16-year-old niece Somayeh onto the ground and tried to rape them, and said that she took out a knife from her pocket and stabbed one of the men in the hand.

Read the rest here (pdf document). Open in new window here.

Trial experts debate time needed to kill by choking:

From: http://www.baltimoresun.com
(February 8, 2006):

A forensic expert attempted to cast doubt yesterday on prosecution claims that a Columbia woman charged with murder choked her friend for minutes before the other woman died, testifying in Howard County Circuit Court that it's nearly impossible to determine how long someone must be choked before death occurs.

The testimony of Dr. Barbara Wolf, an associate medical examiner in Fort Myers, Fla., contradicts an earlier prosecution witness who said that it would take about three to four minutes of continuous choking to cause death.

"There is no way to study that," said Wolf, the first defense witness in the trial of Melissa Burch Harton, 26, accused of first-degree murder in the death of a fellow Loyola College doctoral student, Natasha Bacchus Magee, 31, of Stewartstown, Pa. "We can't choke someone to death and time it."

Read the rest here (pdf document). Open in new window here.

Huge knife amnesty to launch:

From: http://www.manchesteronline.co.uk
(February 8, 2006):

A MAJOR new nationwide amnesty in a bid to cut knife crime is expected to be announced.

Such an amnesty would be the first for 10 years, when tens of thousands of knives and other weapons were handed into police stations following the stabbing of a headteacher.

Labour had indicated before the last election that it intended to launch another amnesty and ministers hope a huge national call to hand in knives will save lives.

However, one prominent campaigner has already said that a new amnesty would merely be a "headline grabbing" scheme that would have little effect on actual street crime.

Read the rest here (pdf document). Open in new window here.

Store owner wrestles gun from would-be robber:

From: http://www.thewmurchannel.com/news/6791113/detail.html
(February 6, 2006):

Two people were arrested in connection with an armed robbery at a Manchester market in which the store's owner wrestled a gun away from a man who was pointing the weapon at his wife.

Police said that Patrick Shiner, 22, of Deerfield, N.H., pointed a gun at Zohra Lakbiri, who was working as a clerk at the Orange Street Market, during a robbery attempt on Friday.

Police said Lakbiri's husband, Matti Kenzou, was able to sneak up behind Shiner and grab the shotgun, pointing it toward the ceiling. The two wrestled while police were called. Two friends entered the store and helped Kenzou subdue the man.

"I couldn't think, especially when I saw my 4-year-old son yelling, 'Don't kill my daddy. Don't kill my mommy,'" Kenzou said. "That was it, and beside that, I was lucky."

Read the rest here (pdf document). Open in new window here.

Area women attend self-defense class to get down the basics:

From: holmencourier.com/articles/2006/02/03/news/05training.txt
(February 3, 2006):

Christina Dietrich has made the customary preparations for a trip to Scotland. She has studied the language, read up on the customs and has made living arrangements for her semester abroad. She has also taken a self-defense class.

“We just want her to be aware of where she's at and have some way of defending herself,” said her mother, Linda Dietrich.

The two women learned some self-defense techiques together in a class Sunday at the Holmen YMCA.

Christina Dietrich said she wanted to take the class because she's unfamiliar with Scotland and wants to be prepared for anything that could happen.

Read the rest here (pdf document). Open in new window here.

Scratch, spit and kick below the belt - all in self defense:

From: http://www.radio.cz/en/article/75409
(February 2, 2006):

In the first eleven months of 2005, police in the Czech capital Prague, reported about eighty-five attacks on women of different ages. Seventy of them were of a sexual character, in short rape or attempted rape. To prevent this from happening in future the city hall has, hand in hand with police, started a campaign to make women aware of the danger.

"A girl or a woman can't assume it is not going to happen. She has to bear in mind that it is possible and that she is the one who has to do everything to stop it, simply to prevent it. It is impossible for police to be everywhere therefore women have to be able to recognize a danger and respond to it."

Says Jan Chodera from the city hall. The campaign called 'Self defense' carries a clear message "Women: be alert and don't put your lives at risk."

Read the rest here (pdf document). Open in new window here.

Exclusive Look at Flight Attendants' Self-Defense Training:

From: http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?section=central&id=3870396
(February 2, 2006):

DOne of the nation's biggest airlines is allowing Eyewitness News inside a new program, designed to teach flight attendants how to defend aircraft against attackers.

Since the 9/11 attacks, American Airlines has developed a specialized self-defense class for its flight attendants. Terrorists attacked flight attendants on two American Airlines flights, prompting the company to make self-defense training part of annual training.

Raleigh's Diane Earp has become an expert in hand-to-hand combat. She works as a purser on American Airlines' flights between RDU and London.

"We are trained in security to investigate and try to determine if there's a threat," Earp said.

She is in charge of safety and security inside the cabin.

"Security is No. 1," Earp said. "The No. 1 concern on the airplane is security and protecting the cockpit from any intrusion."

Read the rest here (pdf document). Open in new window here.

Kindy teachers offered self-defence to combat feisty kids:

From: http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3561087a11,00.html
(February 2, 2006):

Kindergarten teachers are being offered self-defence training in a bid to combat biting, hitting and hair-pulling youngsters.

The programme, funded by the Ministry of Education, trains teachers to deal with "crisis situations", the Manawatu Standard reported today.

Josh Couperus, one of four people from the ministry's Group Special Education which runs the course, said it covers "how to stop a punch, a kick, choking, biting, hair-pulling, and they also learn restraint techniques".

"Kindy teachers certainly get bitten and certainly get hit."

The course teaches how to identify and manage potentially dangerous situations and prevent them from turning violent.

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The fight for FAIRNESS:

From: bangkokpost.com/020206_Outlook/02Feb2006_out01.php
(February 2, 2006):

Thailand: Three lawyers are determined to make the legal system more gender-friendly. But will they succeed?

One of their female clients was raped. She fought back and stabbed the man with an iron rod. She was arrested and charged for attempted murder.

The case has gender prejudice written all over it. When ''Mukda'' (not her real name) pressed charges against the rapist, the police refused to take up the case, saying that since Mukda and the defendant knew each other then it must have been consensual sex.

It so happened that the rapist is an uncle of the owner of the hairdressing salon she was working for. And the owner's husband is a police officer.

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Women attack intruders with knives:

From: http://www.dmregister.com
(January 31, 2006):

Two men who police say broke into an apartment got more than they expected: They were stabbed by the women who lived there, officials said.

‘‘These women gave them a beating,’’ said Scott County Attorney Bill Davis. ‘‘It’s certainly self-defense.’’

One of men, Juan Dontae Shelton, 22, was stabbed in the upper body and legs. He was in critical condition at a local hospital, a hospital spokesman said.

The other man, Shawn Michael Davis, 24, was treated for his injuries and released to police. He was being held on $130,000 bond.

The county attorney said the women grabbed kitchen knives and fought back. They didn’t do anything wrong, he said.

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Man guilty of kebab shop killing:

From: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/kent/4652486.stm
(January 26, 2006):

A man has been jailed for four-and-a-half years for killing another man with a single punch.

Nowbahar Bahar, of Harmer Street, Gravesend, Kent, was convicted at Maidstone Crown Court on Thursday of the manslaughter of David Henkel, 32.

Mr Henkel hit his head on the ground or a wall after being punched outside a kebab shop in Chatham on 23 July 2005.

Bahar, who arrived in the UK from Afghanistan in 2001, claimed he acted in self-defence.

But the court was told by two teenage witnesses that Bahar was the only person to throw a punch during the incident on a Saturday night.

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Awareness is best defense:

From: http://www.theeveningleader.com
(January 25, 2006):

Dave Weaver is a first dan (black belt) in Chung Do Kwan Taekwondo and an expert in other forms, including Moo Duk Kwan and Moo Do Kwan Taekwondo and Okinawan Shorei Gojo Ryu. Along with Darrell Etgen, a Mercer County sheriff's deputy and third dan in Chung Do Kwan Taekwondo, and Master Larry Delaney, a sixth-degree black belt and retired police officer, he teaches Taekwondo and self-defense to students at the YMCA.

Weaver noted that many people in this area believe they don't need to worry about self-defense. "It's proven that, for the most part, people may have one incident in their life where they're accosted," he said.

However, the way they react during that one incident may save them.

Weaver and Etgen said that it's not necessary to know any martial arts or even to have any physical skills in order to act defensively.

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