Raising alarm

Here is a great example of using your wits. Another similar example would be making noise by setting off a car burglary alarm. Even if you have to break a window in a shop or similar to set of an alarm I advise you to do so in an emergency.
It is far better to pay for the damage (like a broken window) rather than being victim of a serious crime!

Story:
South Africa: Dino Bava and his girlfriend were walking the two blocks to his home from a shopping centre near the Northgate mall when two men attacked them.

"They didn't say 'Stop'; they didn't say anything," said Bava, adding that the attack happened in March around 7pm. "They were trying to just get me out of the way so they could do whatever they wanted to do to her."

Bava's girlfriend managed to trigger a nearby house alarm, after which the police were called and the attackers fled. Bava suffered a stab wound during the attack.

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Alarm and cell phone

Absolutely brilliant self-defense execution by these two girls!

Story:
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 suspect allegedly tried to grab a 6-year-old girl Tuesday as she left the JR Shiozaki Station in Kai. 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.

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Good dog

No doubt about it, a dog - even a regular one like this retriever - can be a great self-defense 'weapon'.

Story
UK -- A golden retriever called Rory has been hailed as a hero after putting put the bite on two thugs who tried to mug his owner.

Owner Tim Proctor, 42, was walking Rory in woods near his home when the two yobs bashed him across the head with a log.

But seven-year-old Rory -described as a softie by his owner - immediately sprang to Tim's rescue.

Rory bit one of the would-be muggers on the arm and refused to let go until they both fled.

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Another batman

I can't blame this guy for taking action, when a robber strode up to the counter and demanded money from him while displaying what appeared to be a pistol.
Even if this looked like a fake gun it's a major risk to take! I'm just glad it worked out well.

Story:
A clerk at an Arlington convenience store, frustrated with a robbery suspect whose gun didn't look real, pulled a baseball bat from below the counter and struck the suspect, police said.

As the clerk opened the register, he became skeptical whether the suspect's gun was real. As he laid some cash on the counter, he grabbed a red-and-black aluminum bat stashed under the counter, and raised the bat to hit the suspect as he reached for the money.

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Common distraction

Pretending to ask for directions is a common distraction technique used by thieves, robbers, thugs etc.

Story:
Malaysia -- He was only being helpful to strangers seeking directions but Lee Eng Fei's good intention ended with him becoming a snatch theft victim.

In the incident early this month, Lee was approached by two men on a motorcycle on the pretext of asking for directions.

They attacked him with a parang, first slashing him on the head and back. After he surrendered his money, the thieves mercilessly slashed him again, this time on the hands.

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That's just brilliant

What an absolutely brilliant move from someone being tried on assault charges...

Story:
Olympia, Washington -- The gavel wasn't the only thing getting a pounding in a Washington state courtroom.

A judge declared a mistrial after she saw defendant Justin Jacobson sock his court-appointed lawyer. Jacobson was being tried on assault charges.

Witnesses say Jacobson backhanded his attorney without warning. Guards immediately subdued Jacobson. Judge Paula Casey declared a mistrial because the incident was witnessed by prospective jurors.

Lawyer W. Larry Jefferson says getting smacked by a client isn't something you expect. He's withdrawn from the case.

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Watch your back

UK -- 15-year-old Flora was attacked during a lunch break at school last week. She says one girl tried to punch her but she defended herself as she has learnt judo.

But then another girl came at her from behind and eventually she fell to the floor where she says three girls kicked and punched her in the back and head.

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Not a contact sport

What do you mean "not a contact sport"?
Silly me, I thought all sport these days was just an excuse to let out steam, get into a fit and start a fight.

Story:
Disc golf is not a contact sport. Apparently no one told a 19-year-old Waukesha man who police reports say roughed up his disc golf partner, a 17-year-old Milwaukee boy, at Valley View Park in New Berlin May 8.

The two had been playing a round, the boy said, when his partner threw him into bushes, which scratched his arms and legs, then threw him to the ground again, choked him and rubbed his face in the dirt.

The 19-year-old told police he was joking around and that the boy had hit him with a soda bottle earlier.

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Saying 'no' to menace

"No" is only a two-letter word, but its meaning holds great power.

Especially when it comes from the mouth of a confident child.

Learning when it's OK to say no and other forms of verbal defense is only a small part of Radkids, a personal empowerment safety education program for children.

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Daring daytime escape

Canada -- A teenaged girl made a daring escape from alleged abductors Tuesday evening after she was snatched from the street and thrown in the backseat of a car.

The incident happened in Toronto's east end. Police allege that the unnamed 15-year-old girl was approached by a man while walking down the street.

According to police, she was then allegedly forced into the backseat of a car.

The girl kicked the vehicle's rear door open and fled.

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'Umbrellaikido'

Ontario, Canada -- Peel Regional Police hope a composite sketch will lead investigators to a man who assaulted a woman in an Erin Mills park.

On May 11, investigators say, the woman was walking home in Trapper's Green Park just after 9 p.m. when she was attacked from behind.

Police say the woman fought the suspect off with her umbrella and the suspect fled the area.

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A choke

74-year-old Thelma Carter sent a man in his twenties running out of her house.

Carter says there was no way she was giving in without a fight, “chocking the daylights” out of the man after he broke into her home April 23rd.

"I was right up there at him, and I reach around his neck and I choked him, and I kept choking him, I didn't turn him lose either!"

The retired motel clerk says: she took a self-defense course a few years ago. And she credits that knowledge with helping her react to the situation.

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Police appeal

UK -- Police are appealing for people in South Cheshire to back a nationwide knife amnesty which begins today.

They are gearing up to support the amnesty, which runs until June 30, by placing specially designed bins in police stations.

The number of knife-related incidents recorded by Cheshire police last year topped 700 with offences ranging from murder and grievous bodily harm to threatening behaviour, harassment and possession.

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Hit a bad note

Oh, boy..
Obviously music critics watching too much American Idol.
In fact I'll be willing to trum-bet on it.

Source: Two 12-year-old West Allis boys were cited for disorderly conduct after getting into a fight at band rehearsal at Frank Lloyd Wright Middle School at 9:16 a.m. May 4.

According to reports, one boy kicked the other several times and the other boy finished the fight by striking the first aggressor twice over the head with his trumpet.

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"Now I can say no"

Moscow -- With shaky hands, Sandee Kean wiped tears from her eyes as she got fitted with padding.

"I'm ready," was all she could repeat, barely a whisper. "I'm ready." Seven years ago, she wasn't.

"I was raped in 1999, but didn't know it because I was drugged," the 41-year-old Lake Ariel resident said.

To overcome her fears, to protect her young son and herself, she enrolled in Moscow Police Chief Ivy Brenzel's self-defense class.

"I can’t get that moment back, but at least now I can protect the ones I have left," Ms. Kean said. "At least now I can say no."

Source

A Bobbitt

Unfortunately for the woman, this is Saudi Arabia, and she will no doubt face a harsh punishment for her "crime".

Story:
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: Surgeons have re-attached the penis of a Saudi man who paid the price for trying to have sex with his Filipino maid and she attacked him with a knife, a hospital source said on Monday.

Earlier this month newspapers reported that the maid removed her employer's manhood when he tried to molest her in the middle of the night as his wife was sleeping. The maid is now in police custody.

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Fists, knife and camera

Isabella Scott, 19, from Galashiels in Scotland, was reading on a beach in Puri, Orissa, when she dozed off and a partially clothed man jumped on her and tried to force himself on her.

Despite the attack taking place in broad daylight, with other people on the beach, nobody came to her assistance.

According to detectives, Scott managed to push the man off and punched him before pulling a craft knife from her bag to keep him at bay.

She then photographed him with her digital camera and fled the scene. A rickshaw took her to a local police station where she reported the attack. The man was arrested within hours and charged with attempted rape.

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Grrrrls!

A 13-year-old seventh-grader was taken into custody by an Auburn Police Department School Resource Officer Friday morning after she punched another girl, knocked her to the ground, grabbed her by the hair and slammed her head to the floor, police said.

It is the second incident this week at Auburn Enlarged City School District's East Middle School involving a female student who will be petitioned into Cayuga County Family Court because of a misdemeanor charge. On Tuesday, another East Middle School student was arrested for the possession of a knife, which she intended to use to assault another girl, police reported.

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Crazy

Crazy indeed.
A little aggression, an urge to win and fighting spirit is one thing, but outright violence..? Ladies, parents, please!
And the best part is that some folks think that martial arts and self-defense training is violent, and wonder how and where kids learn violence and aggressive behavior.

Story:
Cincinnati -- A basketball game brawl between two fifth-grade girls' teams was caught on tape, News 5 reported.

As the Cincinnati Warriors and Lady Champions game at Sports Plus was ending, the girls started exchanging punches instead of shaking hands.

"It's fifth-grade girls," said coach Mike Buckle. "Do we have to bring in police to watch that? It is crazy."

During the incident, Ashley Lewis, said she got a black eye after being punched. Courtside, Cherese Lewis was assaulted by parents.

Source

Too slow fast-food

Out of my way turtle!

Isn't it strange how easily we get stressed out in the fast-pace places?
If the Internet cable connection slows down - we get depressed.
If another vehicle is going slower (or faster) than us - we don't function at all.
If the fast food isn't ready before we even order - we get mad. MAD!
If we have to wait in line, then violence is just a matter of how much and how soon...

What does this have to do with self-defense? A lot actually.
Being in these situations put so much stress on our system that we may end up doing literally dangerous and stupid things towards other people.

And there's a simple solution: Breathe! Count to ten and just think about the consequences and options.

Story:
Florida -- A local McDonald's just couldn't serve the food up fast enough for one customer.
Authorities say a 27-year-old woman got angry Sunday night because her order was taking too long. So the woman walked around the counter.
Once there, authorities said, she punched and scratched a cashier at the store.
A day earlier, at a McDonald's in Ellenton, authorities say a man threw change at a manager. No arrest has been made in that case.

Source

Men: Victims of abuse too

USA -- In two recent high-profile stories, men were the victims of domestic violence. Abuse counselors say many people, even in shelters, automatically think of men as the batterers, but hey can be the victims and can find help.

Jon was a victim of emotional abuse in his marriage.

Jon: "I was in a trap."

He accepts his share of responsibility, but says his wife abused him, talked down to him and called him names. She kicked him out of the house and got a protective order against him.

Each year nationally, 275-thousand men are assaulted by their wives or girlfriends. In Utah, the Office on Violence Against Women and Families and the Utah Domestic Violence Council report the number of men seeking help is growing. But men, like Jon, don't often ask for help.

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Teachers, role models

Wow - great role models for the kids; I'm impressed!
I guess zero tollerance is for students only?

Story:
A Dallas teacher who attacked a colleague inside her classroom while students watched was sentenced to six months in jail.

On the witness stand hoping to avoid punishment of up to 10 years in prison, the woman sought to minimize her responsibility for the April 2005 attack. She said that student witnesses had exaggerated their testimony and that school district employees who testified against her were "sticking together."

Seventh-grade science teacher Mary Oliver suffered a concussion, two broken ribs and a neck injury in the incident at the Oak Lawn school, but the assailant said she only recalled hitting Ms. Oliver once and "maybe making contact" when she kicked her a single time as she was being escorted from the classroom.

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A great initiative

Scotland -- Free phones are being installed in eight hospitals in Strathclyde in an attempt to encourage victims of violence to contact police.

The pilot scheme funded by the Violence Reduction Unit will see phones located in A&E wards in the coming weeks.

Karyn McCluskey, of the VRU, said the trauma of violence and the ban on mobile phones in hospitals made it difficult to report violent crime.

Source

Lady, you're nuts!

A would-be robber picked the wrong victim April 18 when he knocked a 59-year-old woman from her scooter in Saveland Park, Milwaukee.

The woman was taking an afternoon cruise in the park to feed the birds when a man approached her and demanded money, according to police.

She said she didn't have any. The man told her he wasn't leaving empty-handed. Perhaps assuming her mode of transport made her an easy target, he struck the woman in the face, knocking her from the battery-powered scooter.

Bad move. The woman struck her assailant in the knee with her cane before landing a swift knee in his crotch.

With the man writhing on the ground, police said, she doused him with pepper spray. He reportedly ran from the area screaming, "Lady, you're nuts."

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'Fun-Fu'

More verbal self-defense, this time from Burlington, Wisconsin:

Police say a man admitted his crimes and blamed his drug addiction after changing his mind in the middle of a robbery.

The 25-year-old man planned to hold up a convenience store about 4 a.m. on April 20, but was unnerved when a wise-cracking clerk made light of the robbery attempt.

"I want cash," the robber said.

"And I want a raise," the clerk replied.

The robber fled when the clerk said he was calling the police.

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Verbal self-defense

Here's a great joke - as well as a lesson in verbal self-defense - sent by a martial arts friend of mine:

The old Poodle

A wealthy old lady decides to go on a safari in Africa, taking her faithful aged poodle named Cuddles along for company.

One day the poodle starts chasing butterflies and before long, Cuddles discovers that he's lost. Wandering about, he notices a leopard heading rapidly in his direction with the intention of having lunch.

The old poodle thinks, "Oh, oh! I'm in deep doo-doo now!"

Noticing some bones on the ground close by, he immediately settles down to chew on the bones with his back to the approaching cat.

Just as the leopard is about to leap the old poodle exclaims loudly, "Boy, that was one delicious leopard! I wonder if there are any more around here?"'

Hearing this, the young leopard halts his attack in mid-strike, a look of terror comes over him and he slinks away into the trees.

"Whew!", says the leopard, "That was close! That old poodle nearly had me!"

Meanwhile, a monkey who had been watching the whole scene from a nearby tree, figures he can put this knowledge to good use and trade it for protection from the leopard. So off he goes, but the old poodle sees him heading after the leopard with great speed, and figures that something must be up.

The monkey soon catches up with the leopard, spills the beans and strikes a deal for himself with the leopard.

The young leopard is furious at being made a fool of and says, "Here, monkey, hop on my back and see what's going to happen to that conniving canine!"

Now, the old poodle sees the leopard coming with the monkey on his back and thinks, "What am I going to do now?", but instead of running, the dog sits down with his back to his attackers, pretending he hasn't seen them yet, and just when they get close enough to hear, the old poodle says, "Where's that damn monkey? I sent him off an hour ago to bring me another leopard!"

Moral of this story?
Don't mess with old farts; age and treachery will always overcome youth and skill!

Clean sweep

UK -- Postmistress Dorothy Kelly has told how she swept aside three masked raiders - with her broom.

Her have-a-go heroics thwarted a robbery at Arley sub-post office in Old Arley, near Nuneaton, and left one of the would-be robbers with a bruised elbow.

No-nonsense Dorothy, aged 57, sprang into action when one of the raiders made a grab for the till. She snatched a nearby broom - and promptly used it to swipe the intruder across the arm.

Source

Sudan

Four girls were attacked by two armed militias in uniform whilst collecting firewood outside the camp on 7 March 2006, around 11:30 a.m.

During the attack, one of the men assaulted one of the girls and attempted to rape her. When the girl resisted, the man began to beat her.

In defence, she grabbed the knife she had been using to cut the firewood and stabbed the attacker in the stomach. The four girls then managed to escape and returned to Seraif camp. Allegedly the girls reported the incident to police officers inside the camp who refused to file the case.

In the afternoon of the same day, police officers inside the camp were informed of the death of a stabbing victim - the man who was stabbed by the girl.

Following this news, the police officers immediately arrested the four girls on suspicion of murder. The girls were initially detained for five days and charged with murder.

Three of the girls were later released, but it is reported that Ms. Amouna Mohamed Ahmed (17), remains in detention and is awaiting trial for murder.

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Client violence

The risk of violence is a reality for most social workers in practice today, says Christina E. Newhill, a nationally regarded social work educator, and it is vitally important that those in the caring professions learn to minimize those job-related dangers.

Newhill, associate professor of social work at the University of Pittsburgh is the author of the book "Client Violence in Social Work Practice".

According to a survey Newhill conducted of 1,600 social workers, 58 percent reported one or more incidents of violence during their career, whether it is property damage, threat of violence, attempted assault or actual physical assault.

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The stomp

Utah -- Ogden Police are now looking for a man who tried to kidnap a 12-year-old boy who was delivering newspapers with his mother.

It happened Sunday morning at 29th Street and Van Buren Avenue in Ogden. That's when police say a man grabbed the boy and pulled him into some bushes.

However, officers say the boy stomped on the man's foot, which loosened his grip on the boy and allowed him to get away.

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Stalking

The effect of stalking/violence can be devastating.

Story:
UK -- Sam Marshall used to think of her immaculate home on a council estate in Bridlington as a safe haven that provided a loving environment for her three children. Today it feels like a prison.

Ms Marshall, 32, has become the victim of a stalker whose campaign of terror has left her afraid to step outside. Even within the confines of the property she loves, she is constantly reminded of an attack that almost killed her.

She was almost throttled on her back doorstep by a man who has been repeatedly sighted staring into the house over the back garden, and who hung a dead frog from her security light within days of the near fatal attack.

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Biting

Biting in self-defense is actually very effective! Nothing fancy - but then again, fancy seldom works.
There have been a number of reports on people who used this method to avoid serious situations.

Story:
South Africa -- A policewoman has freed herself from a potential rapist by biting off his tongue.

The 40-year-old suspect, who works at a chain store in Bushbuckridge, was admitted to Mapulaneng hospital in Limpopo in a serious condition just before midnight on Monday.

The woman said the man had lured her into his house after they had been drinking together.

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Fighting, fit with karate!

It's neither hi-tech weapons nor security guards on which Kanpurites rely for their safety. Girls, oldies or physically challenged people seems like everyone in Kanpur is going in for karate classes to safeguard themselves as well as to stay fit.

Ask 23-year-old Mehar Gupta how she copes with safety hazards while returning home late after work in an unsafe city like Kanpur.

"A few weeks back, when I was returning home from office late in the evening some, unruly elements stopped me and tried to misbehave with me. But within seconds, I taught them a lesson through my karate skills!"

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A key to self-defense

Absolutely, 100% true:

"In reality, people do not need to be strong, agile or a kung fu master to protect themselves. Simply being aware and assertive will reduce your chance of becoming a victim of a violent crime."

"Perpetrators choose their victims because they look vulnerable. The first step in making yourself become less vulnerable is to pay attention to your surroundings."

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Assaulted in church

Is nothing sacred these days?
A 12-year-old knife-wielding boy, attempting to rape a girl in a church...

Story:
A 12-year-old boy has been charged with attempted rape and kidnapping following an assault on a teenage girl Sunday in a church restroom.

The attack occurred while a 14-year-old girl was changing in the restroom of the church’s main building. The girl reported looking in the mirror and seeing the reflection of someone in a stall behind her just before the attacker ran up behind her carrying a knife.

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A fine line

There's a fine line between self-defense and revenge or going too far. This story from Kewaskum, Washington could possibly prove this point.

In said case a 40 year old woman gets close to being charged with assault after punching a man. The 43-year-old man has been a real pain in the posterior for quite a long time, even grabbing the woman's breasts.

When three men finally throw the idiot out of the bar, the woman goes after him and punches him hard in the face.

If she had hit him as he grabbed her, or directly after, this would have been a clear-cut case of self- defense. However, if you go after someone and then retaliate, you may very well end up being charged with assault.

Luckily for this woman the Assistant District Attorney decided not to press charges.

A campus incident

Some things are painfully clear:
- People tend to think "it don't happen here".
- A campus can be a dangerous place.
- Simple self-defense "tricks" may get you out of a bad spot.
- A push-in is a common way to gain access.

Also it is quite clear that the woman either panicked or was unaware she was being followed - all the time she opened the door to her room.

Story:
A man had followed a young woman onto the elevator and up to her floor and tried to push his way into her room after she unlocked the door.

The woman fought him off with a fist spiked with keys and he fled, but the incident was enough to worry many young women who never thought something like that could happen in their dorm.

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