About Self Defense

Gun to a knife fight

2011-09-24T18:02:00.001+02:00

Really hard to say what went through the mind of the gun-toting maniac from this article at blog.al.com... Trying to prove a point that you can't stop bullets with a knife?

"Florida -- A 67-year-old Pensacola man is charged with murder for allegedly gunning down a 53-year-old man who was trying to show how he could defend himself using a knife, according to Escambia County deputies."

"Escambia deputies responded to the shooting at about 10:51 p.m. Thursday night at the Moorings Apartments (...). When they arrived, they found Alvin Merriwell Lewis Jr. dead inside the suspect's apartment. Lewis had succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds."

So, apart from repeating the old adage of not bringing a knife to a gun fight, one could also add: Don't demonstrate knife self-defense moves to a lunatic with a gun.

Anything to add? Feel free to do so in the comments field below.

Verbal self-defense

2011-08-14T20:24:00.000+02:00

At least sort of...

In any case, this story about a very resourceful bi-lingual young woman is a solid proof as to why language skills can come in handy and save the day when someone attempts to rob you.

The 23-year-old woman managed to keep her wits. She definitely outsmarted and outmaneuvered the attempted robber - that's for sure.

So next time you may begin wondering if spending time to learn more than one language can be beneficial to you - just remember this case... Bi-lingual self-defense :-)

Lame excuses #12

2011-07-30T20:28:00.001+02:00

Arizona -- A 76-year-old man who was accused of forcing a maid to put her hand on his penis four times while the woman was cleaning his trailer home in Glendale, claimed 'Satan made him do it'. Yeah, right...

The victim reportedly said the old man made repeated sexual comments towards her while she was cleaning the trailer.

She said he tried to give her a hug, but then grabbed hold of her hand - forcing it on to his crotch instead.

And sure, why not blame Satan, or your penis, or alcohol, or "sex drive", or drugs, or your childhood, or your parents ... or the government. It can't be your own fault, now can it?

Lame excuses #11

2011-06-07T17:06:00.000+02:00

Connecticut -- As a result of injuries he sustained from an assault in Stamford, a 78-year-old man died on February 22, 2009.

The incident which led to the tragedy occurred in a downtown parking lot, according to stamfordadvocate.com.

During the recent (June 2011) manslaughter trial, the defendant accused of punching and knocking out - a 6'2" and 200 pound, 49-year-old man - is claiming he acted in self-defense.

Yeah, right...

One tough old man!

2011-05-03T16:01:00.000+02:00

China -- An 81-year-old man fought back in self-defense was reportedly able to send eight young would-be robbers fleeing in Hong Kong, according to monstersandcritics.com.

The man, identified as Mak, had finished his morning exercise when he was pushed to the ground in an underpass.

This has got to be one tough old guy... After all, three of the teenage attackers - between the ages of 15 and 19 - is said to have been given treatment at a hospital for cuts and bruises after the Sunday incident.

I sincerely hope these young punks have learned a lesson. In any case, I salute you, Mr "Mak Attack".

A pen for self-defense

2011-04-24T23:22:00.000+02:00

Arizona -- As we all know, a number of everyday items - and things you regularly carry on your person in particular - can come in handy in a self-defense situation. The unassuming pen is definitely on that short list of things you could potentially grab for if you ever found yourself in a tight spot.

So far, so good. Only problem is that most pens really don't stand much of anything before they break. Heck, a lot of them don't even function properly purely as writing tools...

Enter the Tactical Pens and similar special designed self-defense pens. These tools are - in addition to being pens (duh) - made to withstand serious abuse without splitting, bending or breaking.

The end to all your troubles? Well of course not. Like everything else they have their advantages and disadvantages, and you will of course be at least somewhat trained in the application. And also, keeping it in your purse or briefcase - you know the usual hiding place for your pepper spray canister - won't do you any good at all.

Unruly students

2011-04-08T23:10:00.000+02:00

Georgia -- So, you're a teacher for special needs children and you're having a couple of unruly students in your class.

Two disruptive, teenage students refuse to return to their seats - what do you do? That's simple, you just pepper spray them.

At least that ways the solution one female Bibb County teacher used recently in her classroom, according to 41nbc.com.

This really makes me wonder if she was only having a permanent brain meltdown or simply had lost it temporarily.

At least it goes to show that a lot of teachers unfortunately don't have the skills or training needed to control potential violent conflicts and other similar problems at school.

Lame excuses #10

2011-04-08T22:44:00.000+02:00

Australia -- A 18-year-old amateur boxer from Samoa reportedly tried to convince authorities he acted in "self-defense" when he savagely beat a 41-year-old blind man and knocked down his carer, before robbing the 30-year-old carer while he lay unconscious.

The victims had rushed to the aid a distressed woman in a Brisbane inner-city public toilet block on July 28, 2009, according to couriermail.com.au.

I guess his mother must be really proud of this good-for-nothing P.O.S...

Paramedics safety

2011-04-04T03:08:00.000+02:00

South Africa -- Female paramedics in Durban Deep and Johannesburg are scared for their own safety - and it appears more than rightfully so after reading this news article by timeslive.co.za.

The work force has been promised the female paramedics self-defense training for more than a year and some has gone through that. But do they send the ones being out there doing the job...? Oh no - these knuckleheads send the managers. Yeah, you read that right. Smart move... Not.

One female paramedic said the panic buttons that the paramedics carry have never been used because they do not work. Her shift commander said the batteries are flat. Brilliant excuse, playing with people lives like that...

Spendid self-defense

2011-03-30T00:36:00.000+02:00

Words are really not necessary - rather than this: "You suddenly don't look quite so tough with your pants around your ankles." :-)

A common set-up

2011-03-22T12:41:00.000+01:00

California -- Sfgate.com has a very informative article about a very common tactic or set-up used by robbers, thieves or criminals alike. It goes something like this:

- You are being approached by someone face to face
- The person distracts you or even attacks you (as in the above story)
- You are being attacked from behind by the persons accomplices
- This can also be a set-up for theft (pickpocket)

The people behind you are there either as a back up for the person in front or as the ones doing the actual hit.

In either case it is always recommended you walk, move (or if needed push) past the person confronting you. This goes even if you are stopped for directions, time, a dime or what ever. You are in a far better situation to evaluate and act when you're able to turn and face the person - and consequently any other persons - confronting you!

Read the above story and judge for yourself how bad it is to fight someone with your back to someone you don't know is there...

"That'll teach you!"

2010-09-15T08:29:00.000+02:00

How about teaching someone self-defense moves ... whether they want it or not :-)

In Louisiana, a university student was arrested for simple battery of another student, according to lsureveille.com.

The alleged victim complained to police that an 18-year-old fellow student, of Metairie, subjecting him to a "series of submission holds without his permission".

The suspect aggressor reportedly told police he was trying to teach the young man self-defense and had no intention of hurting him.

Improvising talent

2010-09-14T22:51:00.000+02:00

All right, I'll admit it ... I like banjo. I even play one when ever the mood hits me. And now there seems to be more more reason for picking one. Self-defense. Yes, you heard that right.

A 21-year-old Overland Park man was able to swing his banjo. in self-defense when he was attacked recently with a knife and a frying pan by another young male, according to blogs.kansascity.com. Police said the banjo blow to the head stopped the "pan-handler", who was treated for a cut and later arrested.

Banjolly good... Obviously great improvising :-)

Coffee to go

2010-08-27T23:05:00.000+02:00

Hot liquid can be a great self-defense solution. Hope McDonald's won't be sued this time around for serving their coffee too hot...

Maine -- Portland police said a 25-year-old man's craving for drugs lead to a crime spree that included an attempt to drive of with an ambulance, three armed robberies and attempted theft of a cash register.

The suspect was arrested after he was doused with hot coffee by a McDonald's restaurant employee as he allegedly attempted to steal a cash register, according to wbztv.com.

Brass knuckle umbrella?

2010-01-09T04:37:00.004+01:00

Here's a combined umbrella and brass knuckle, from what I can see called an Umbuster (umbrella and knuckle buster - geddit?).

Although it may potentially be a handy protection gadget (perhaps something for the James Bond wannabe?), I would definitely check my local laws first.

I do suspect this would be classified as an illegal weapon many places.

Hit like a girl

2009-12-05T19:59:00.004+01:00

"You hit like a girl!" Yeah, right....

Lame excuses #9

2009-12-04T17:55:00.002+01:00

UK (Scotland) A 35-year-old African man who attempted to rape a woman in Glasgow has been jailed for four years.

The man, who was caught on CCTV attacking the 35-year-old in July 2008 after she had become separated from friends after a night out, blamed the devil for his actions.

The man attacked the woman as she stood alone in a street in the city's Royston district. He was convicted in November 2009.

The slap

2009-10-26T17:39:00.003+01:00

Here's a video showing why a punch with a closed fist is highly overrated as far as self-defense goes.

You can see that the person doing the slap here clearly knows what he's doing. First, he holds his left hand to his chin in a defensive posture - some times referred to as a "fence".

He then drops his left hand, which draws attention away from his right, and then wham...

Note also that the person who does the slap turns the man on the ground on his side. It may also (hopefully) look like he's going for help. Probably a bouncer.

A rough week

2009-10-03T13:27:00.003+02:00

Ohio -- An 80-year-old man have had a rough week. First, he was beaten during a home break-in and then later shot while trying to learn about guns.

When intruders broke into his home, the Columbus area resident was tied up and pistol-whipped. Four days later was shot in the hand during a self-defense lesson.

Paramedics assaulted

2009-09-23T17:43:00.003+02:00

Australia -- The Emergency Medical Service Protection Association in Australia, which represents 800 Queensland paramedics and ambulance workers, have said assaults were becoming both more frequent and severe.

As a consequence, the ambulance Service bosses are becoming increasingly criticised for failing to provide adequate self-defense training to paramedics who are reportedly being assaulted at a rate of two a week, according to news.com.au.

Titanium knee

2009-09-02T16:48:00.004+02:00

Wow, titanium "I-knee-do" to the groin ... I really do hope this left a lasting and painful impression.

Australia -- A 72-year-old Olympic swimming great reportedly fought off an intruder who threatened to kill her, according to int.iol.co.za.

The 72-year-old Australian swimming legend claimed she might have "lost it" when she confronted two youths who woke her when they entered her daughter's home in Noosaville, Queensland. She said a young male grabbed her around the throat threatened to kill her.

"With that I grabbed him around the ear and hair and kneed him in the groin," she said. "I have got a titanium knee so it must have hurt him," she added.

Domestic violence

2009-08-28T13:20:00.004+02:00

Here are some quite interesting -- and perhaps even shocking -- statistics about domestic violence arrests (from mirror.co.uk):

UK -- Researchers have found that female suspects are proportionately more likely to be arrested when police investigate allegations of domestic violence.

Despite the fact that women were the victims in 91 per cent of cases, police detained female suspects once in every three incidents, according to a study.

T put things in perspective, men, which are the offenders in 92 per cent of cases, are arrested only once in every 10 incidents.

A Bristol University researcher (Prof Marianne Hester), said the difference was because women were more likely to arm themselves during rows.

She said that women were using a weapon nearly always in self-defense which is treated as a more serious offence.

Brian Moore, Association of Chief Police Officers' lead on domestic violence, said: "It is often only after arrest that an investigation establishes a history of violence."

692 people held for domestic abuse between 2001 and 2007 were studied by a team lead by Prof Hester.

Not very surprised

2009-08-06T10:34:00.004+02:00

There' a new US based study which has been presented by the Emergency Nurses Association. The study shows that workplace violence is all too common in the nursing profession. However, it is not the co-workers, but patients and their families it stems from.

Over 3,000 nurses participated in a survey and more than half said they had experienced physically violence on the job, according to channel3000.com. What is even more alarming is that one in four said they had been subjected to a physical assault more than 20 times in the last three years.

"They'll spit, they'll pinch, they'll grab, they'll kick at you," one nurse said. She was not terribly surprised by the findings."The ones that just aren't getting what they want out of their visit, they get very verbally abusive and in your face."

Date rape drugs

2009-07-11T03:09:00.004+02:00

From javno.com, here's a really great article you should absolutely take the time to read and absorb.

It is about the ever present dangers of so called date rape drugs like Ketamin, Rohypnol and GHB. Stay safe out there!

Sexual assault at work

2009-07-06T16:10:00.004+02:00

Israel -- An annual report from the Association of Rape Crisis Centers in Israel is shedding light on the phenomenon of sexual assault in workplace environments. The number of complaints on harassment at work has risen by 12% in 2008, according to ynetnews.com.

The report which is being submitted to the Knesset (the Israeli National Assembly) is focusing on a particularly touchy subject - sexual assaults in the workplace.

Last year the number of complaints regarding sexual harassment in the workplace rose by 12%. Reports on workplace harassment reveal that 81% (!) of employees have complained of sexual harassment, 11.4% of them referring to rape and attempted rape, and 7.6% to indecent assaults.

Not the brightest robbers

2009-07-04T12:37:00.003+02:00

These two robbers are not exactly the sharpest knives in the drawer :-)

The two Gainsville, Florida men used a cell phone to imitate a gun in order to rob two women of their iPhone in two separate incidents.

They used a car registered to one of the men - and one of the victims was able to give police the license tag number, according to gainesville.com.

When arrested, one of the men told police the robberies "were a joke" and that they were taped to put on YouTube.com. Police reportedly found no video of the "joke" robberies.

One of the robbers also said he was going to return the women's phones by calling them, according to a police spokesman. "At which point, our detectives reminded him that he stole their phones, so he really couldn't call them," the spokesman said.

'Aero-solved'

2009-07-03T15:39:00.004+02:00

Illinois -- Without pepper spray to defend himself, a cabdriver was forced to improvise when he was attacked by a knife-wielding passenger early Thursday morning in Elgin. He sprayed the would-be robber in the face with an aerosol deodorant, according to foxnews.com.

Police said said the 51-year-old driver felt something was wrong when the passenger changed his destination. Consequently, he discreetly placed the small canister between his legs.

When the passenger held a large knife to the driver's neck, he sprayed the robber in the eyes, causing him to drop the knife. The passenger then punched the driver, but did not seriously injure him. He took off on foot, leaving the knife behind.

South Africa and rape

2009-06-18T22:33:00.003+02:00

South Africa -- Health24.com reports about some scary statistical findings regarding the sexual assault figures in South Africa.

According to a recent shock report by the Medical Research Council, one in every four (!) South African men have raped a woman.

What's more, 4,6% of the men interviewed had raped in the past year. Almost 8% of the men said they had raped more than 10 women or girls.

The study was conducted anonymously in 1,738 households in three different regions in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu Natal, and included men of all racial groups, ages and socio-economic backgrounds.

Oh dear...

Teacher self-defense?

2009-06-16T12:21:00.005+02:00

There's probably more to this story than what you can read from a media rapport - it usually is. Even so, it seems like this teacher A. has a serious anger management problem, and B. needs to learn some basic conflict management and control techniques.
Yes a 10-year-old child can absolutely do some harm to an adult, but come on... Do you seriously need a neck restraint technique or a choke hold to control a situation like this? Absolutely not if you know what you're doing.
Another discussion is the possible use of force by teachers. In my book there may be situations where such a need may arise. But again, you really must know what you're doing. And of course, any type of force should always be kept as the very last resort. There are no winners in a situation like this!

Story:

New York -- A 58-year-old substitute gym teacher allegedly put a 10-year-old student in a chokehold when the two got in an argument over a game of dodgeball in New Rochelle, according to wten.com.

Police said the teacher apparently called the student 'a big baby' and a 'crybaby' after they began arguing about a call.

The boy reportedly threw a punch but missed. The teacher then grabbed the boy by the back of the neck and dragged him across the gym floor. Police said the boy was held in a chokehold when he tried to break free.

The student was taken to a hospital with neck and back pain. The substitute teacher claimed he acted in self-defense.

A musical lesson

2009-05-10T21:15:00.005+02:00

There are at least two vital lessons to be learned form the story below. First off, you definitely don't want to be messing with 17-year-old marching band girls. If they are armed with a baton, then even more so - stay clear :-)

Secondly - and this is the serious part - the incident really goes to show how effective any kind of weapon can be in a self-defense situation.

Needless to say, I really love stories like this one.

California -- This high school marching band student form Quartz Hill (a high desert community about 40 miles north of Los Angeles) beat up two attackers who attempted to mug her as she was walking to school Friday morning, officials said.

A Sheriff's spokesman said the teenager kicked one man in the groin and punched the other in the nose. She then beat both men into submission with her large baton before running away.

A "pizza the action"

2008-12-14T22:41:00.003+01:00

Florida -- A Miramar pizza delivery driver was confronted by armed robbers, according to news.bbc.co.uk and the Florida Sun-Sentinel.

But the 40-year-old intended victim was armed with a weapon of his own ... a large pepperoni pizza.

Reportedly, he flung the hot item at the gunman, then turned hot on his heels and ran. The driver managed to make a safe getaway even though the attempted robbers fired at him as he fled.

I suppose it is perfectly OK to waste good food as long as it is for a worthy cause like this one?

"Candy man"

2008-12-07T20:08:00.003+01:00

California -- On Thanksgiving, a 49-year-old intoxicated man reportedly went uninvited to a neighbor's home in Sacramento. He then started waving a kitchen knife towards people gathered on the lawn, according to usatoday.com.

When the drunken intruder cut several peoples' clothing - one of them decided it was time to fight back. The man grabbed a two-foot-tall plastic candy cane lawn ornament to subdue the attacker until police arrived at the scene.

According to reports, the man with the knife was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon. But here's a kicker: The guest who took up the candy cane was not arrested because it was determined by police he acted in self-defense.

Well, that was a surprise. I mean, he could have killed the poor knife-wielding dude with that horrible lawn ornament for crying out loud!

Using a belt for self-defense

2008-11-02T04:24:00.006+01:00

This self-defense related post from latimesblogs.latimes.com points to at least two interesting pieces of information.

First, it describes how highly effective a common belt can be when it is used as a self-defense weapon of choice. I have personally witnessed this in real life, and friends have used it to great effect. Here's the situation with the belt in use:

"A woman in her 30s was molested by a large group of men in the middle of a Cairo street. It was said that none of the onlookers dared to intervene until a taxi driver stopped by and got out of his car. The man then took off his belt and used it to whip the harassers, who soon left their victim half-naked."

Furthermore, there's a telling point of statistics in the article. It points to a survey which has shown that 83% of Egyptian women reported exposure to verbal and sexual harassment.

This included men staring inappropriately at their bodies, inappropriate touching, sexually explicit comments, stalking and telephone stalking.

And here's the interesting part: Almost 70% of harassed women are veiled. This clearly challenges the perception that puts the blame for harassment on women for wearing revealing outfits.

Martial arts and self-defense

2008-10-26T17:25:00.004+01:00

There are so many cases where people have signed up for what they thought were the greatest martial arts/self-defense combo - only to find this is not the case.

When you have signed a contract for yourself and/or your child, then basically, you're stuck.

My advice? Be very wary of what sort of art you seek out, and above all - check all the fine prints before signing anything.

Here's a case from orlandosentinel.com which ought to drive the point home...

He was "bagged"

2008-08-18T09:54:00.002+02:00

Australia -- A 24-year-old Hornsby (Sydney) woman was threatened with a sexual assault while going to work at a nursing home Monday, according to smh.com.au.

A man reportedly approached her as she was walking along the street. The 22-year-old man - who was later arrested - started talking to her and she walked up a pathway, according to police.

The man then took out a knife, held it to the woman's throat from behind - threatening to kill her. However, the young woman pushed the attackers knife away, turned around and hit him with her bag. She then allegedly kicked him and ran away.

Reasonable force?

2008-08-07T00:33:00.003+02:00

It is always hard to determine how much force - and what type of force - is needed in any type of altercation.

It is very easy to be wise after the event! However, it may seem like these folks here (from Rootstown Township, Ohio) didn't have the skills and training needed to restrain a shoplifter who tried to take off - something very few have any type of experience to deal with unfortunately.

It is not too difficult if you work as a team - and if you have the proper type of techniques to hold someone (alone it is very difficult, no matter what your training might be).

What most people do wrong is to use too much weight upon a prone person - in effect choking the person to death, or using too much force on the neck or chest.

If something goes terribly wrong, you may end up being the target of a lawsuit, like the people in this case seems to be subject to.

In January 2004, a shop-lifter walked to a store parking lot after loading a cart with groceries. A manager and an employee approached the man, whereupon he attacked the employee. The two workers and two passers-by tried to restrain the man while waiting for police.

With the four men on top of him, the man died of asphyxiation from force applied to his neck and torso within minutes. A County coroner reportedly ruled the death a homicide.

A scary list

2008-08-07T00:28:00.001+02:00

Idaho -- A convicted Ontario sex offender has allegedly made a list of 32 girls to "look up" once he gets out of jail. Now parents worry for their children's safety as the man is soon to be released.

One parent talked about how their kids in effect were prisoners. "we don't know what to do to make it better for them," the parent said.

Sheriff's deputies reportedly found a list the man had written. It was titled "people to look up". 32 local girls between the ages of 6 and 17 were on the list, including his original 15 year old victim.

In order to come up with his list, authorities alleges the man read newspaper articles about the girls. It is said the list is so detailed it that had everything short of an address to look these girls up.

And still we somehow tend to hang on to this all-to-prevalent idea about 'random violence'...

Realtors assaulted

2008-08-04T09:11:00.005+02:00

There has been a couple of assaults on female Realtors (real estate agents) lately. In New Zealand, a 41-year-old agent was lured to a remote Wairarapa property -- a house east of Carterton -- by a 38-year-old man Saturday morning.

The woman fought for her life and stabbed her attacker who allegedly assaulted, bound and tried to kidnap her. As the would-be kidnapper attempted to force her into the boot of his car, she made her escape by grabbing a screwdriver and stabbing him in the head.

In South Bend, Indiana (US), police said a man attacked a local Realtor as she was showing him a house for sale Friday afternoon.

As he was shown the basement, the man reportedly produced a knife, demanded money and grabbed the Realtor. The woman fought him off, and he took off while she called police.

With the current housing crisis, police now begin to worry real estate agents may be less cautious.

Women's Self-Defense Tips

2008-07-28T20:17:00.003+02:00

Just a quick heads up about a new lense (small web-page): Women's Self-Defense Tips I've set up on Squidoo. Check it out today!

As always, feel free to give feedback and comments. Anything special you would like to see added?

New woman's self-defense resource

2008-07-26T08:29:00.005+02:00

In addition to our bi-weekly 'Women Can' reports, we have added another (also free) female selfdefense resource for you: 'Women's Self-Defense Tips'.
This is a weekly quick read - to-the point "tips and tricks". Make sure you sign up today by clicking below.

Quick thinking

2008-07-23T22:14:00.005+02:00

On June 26, at about 8:30 p.m., a 35-year-old man is reported to lure his way into a woman's vehicle in Dale City (San Mateo), California by asking if he could borrow jumper cables to start his car.

The offender proceeded to jumped into the woman's vehicle, where he took out a knife and told the woman to drive down a side street.

When the man demanded sex, the quick-thinking woman managed convince the would-be rapist to remove a child car seat from her back seat to "give them more room for sex."

While the offender did as suggested, the intended victim jumped from the car and ran off. The suspect was reportedly arrested later in the stolen vehicle.

"Iced-te-do"

2008-07-21T05:48:00.001+02:00

This is definitely a modern day variety of the ancient Japanese tea ceremony- very cool!

Story:
Japan -- In Tokyo, a woman managed to calm down a knife-wielding robber by offering a glass of iced tea and a chat, according to edition.cnn.com.

The 43-year-old robber pressed a knife to the woman's back and demanded money, in the hallway of her apartment building.

The woman told the man she did not have any cash on her. The robber then is reported to have pushed her and her baby into the woman's apartment.

The calm woman -- in order to buy herself some time to plan her escape -- gave the robber a cup of iced wheat tea to calm him down on the hot summer day, police said.

The robber put his knife down and began to tell the woman how he lost money gambling and its effect on his life and family.

The woman eventually handed over about $100 (10,000 yen). She then ran outside to call for help. The robber took off with the money, but he was reportedly caught the very next day.

Door-to-door dangers

2008-07-18T20:05:00.004+02:00

During a period of eight months houstonpress.com have investigated door-to-door magazine sales across the country.

They say the industry has seen at least three murders and one attempted murder; one stabbing, one rape and two attempted rapes; one vehicle fatality and one attempted abduction of a 13-year-old girl.

My suggestion is that you take the time to read this article in full, it's shocking to say the least.

Expert advice

2008-07-17T05:39:00.003+02:00

Colorado -- Experts no longer recommend appeasing or somehow calming an attacker, gjsentinel.com states.

The article goes on to praise a 9-year-old Orchard Mesa girl who fought off her 40-year-old abductor by biting his nose. Great going indeed!

Even though saying that you can always fight your way out of a tight spot is a dangerous fallacy, the main point is this: Firm and early resistance - running, screaming, shouting and fighting back - is your best option most of the time.

Pointing out that the submissive ideal is a way of the past, a safety director for the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, goes on to state: "What we've learned is that when kids are proactive, when they resist, they yell, they scream, they have a pretty good chance of getting away from these guys."

Lame excuses #8

2008-07-14T21:20:00.003+02:00

Ah yes, the good old "just fell into my hand" excuse. Doesn't get any more convincing than this :-)

A certified nut-case was arrested after arguing with a security guard at a condominium in Ocean City, Pennsylvania around 3:30 a.m. on Sunday, according to mdcoastdispatch.com

The man was banging on a window causing it to break. He then picked up a large shard of the broken glass and tried to stab the guard with it.

The security guard told police the attacker tried to climb through the hole in the glass. The man allegedly lunged at the security guard with the large piece of glass and threatened to kill him.

He had "the wildest look on his face" and he was certain he would have killed him if another man he was with hadn't interceded, the guard said.

When questioned about the incident, the man acknowledged a piece of glass might have fallen into his hand and he might have made a motion toward the guard with it.

Like I said, I doesn't get any "better" than this.

Lured with free iPod

2008-07-12T20:24:00.004+02:00

Luckily the intended victim was aware of the set-up - being able to spot this legitimate nut-case before things got terribly out of hand.

And I do really wonder if the defense lawyers really believe in the unbelievable dribble that some times tend to fall, like perfectly polished manure, out of their mouths?

Read and judge for yourself ... and weep accordingly. "Just a rape fantasy..." my a**!

Looking for targets

2008-07-11T02:54:00.000+02:00

In Japan, a 34-year-old man from Kawasaki is been charged with rape and attempted rape according to media. His latest victim was a female crew member on a first-class JR train carriage, according to yomiuri.co.jp. The rape occurred April 2 when he showed the crew member, in her 20s, into a restroom.

It is reported that the man also is charged of attempting to rape and injuring another female crew member aboard the train about one week before the rape. This assault also took place in a restroom on board the train.

"I knew female crew members were present in the first-class carriages and so I targeted them. I thought no one would notice because few passengers rode the train at that hour," the man is reported to admit.

Just a scratch

2008-07-08T16:55:00.004+02:00

UK-- Five years after he committed an attempted rape near a Norwich Cathedral, a man has been convicted largely thanks to DNA evidence. This is according to eveningnews24.co.uk.

The assault happened in June 2003, when the 36-year-old man attacked and tried to rape a woman. The intended victim got away when she lashed out at the attempted rapist and scratched the man's face.

In October 2007, the Southampton man was stopped for a minor motoring offence. Officers took his DNA at the police station after the man became abusive, according to reports. That DNA was found to match samples lifted from the woman's fingernails in the 2003 assault.

Kudos to this woman for fighting back! Her actions has ensured that this offender is now off the streets.

Your home, your castle?

2008-07-01T13:57:00.004+02:00

Your home may not always be your castle.

Now I'm not saying it is dangerous to be at home - far from it. What I am saying is that we tend to worry about sexual assaults by strangers outside - and forget that we are basically at greater risks at home.

You can read more about the statistical evidence and other facts here.

Stories:
In a North Philadelphia neighborhood, several sex assaults and burglaries occurred during one week, according to myfoxphilly.com. Over three days, three women were attacked, according to reports.

Police said each of the assaults happened in the early morning hours against women, alone at their residences. In each of the cases, the attackers reportedly entered the homes through unlocked doors or screened windows.

Also, a 40-year-old woman told how a man followed her into her apartment building in Center City (Philadelphia) around 1:30 a.m. Saturday. The suspect allegedly forced her to the ground and choked her. He also threatened to kill her and attempted to sexually assault her. The intended victim was able to fight the assailant off, police said.

In an earlier case from Philadelphia (July, 2007), two women were sexually assaulted in upscale Philadelphia neighborhoods. Police believed the attackers entered the homes through open doors.

"I'm shocked because it's always been a safe neighborhood," another woman said at the time.

Lame excuses #7

2008-06-26T00:16:00.002+02:00

Yet another issue of "it wasn't me - it was Mr Pee". Who was to blame this time - some alien?

No sir. The evil force behind this guys action was none other than ... faith. Yup, you see it was bound to happen. As the man reportedly said: "(...) he couldn't stop and that the assault was bound to happen 'one way or another'."

Phillyburbs.com reports how this 55-year-old IQ challenged individual assaulted a 17-year-old girl as she stepped out of a shower at his home in Sellersville, Pennsylvania.

As he advanced toward her, he allegedly told her he "wanted to stop but couldn't". The girl begged him to leave her alone, but the man reportedly told her he couldn't stop and that the assault was bound to happen "one way or another," according to a criminal complaint.

What can I add to this - other than my urge to kick this low-life where it hurts the most?

Make some noise!

2008-06-22T04:02:00.001+02:00

"Jump up and down, scream and holler, do whatever – just remember, the more noise you make, the safer you will be!" This is a lesson given to five-year-old elementary school kids by an Ohio resource officer.

Recently, remembering the methods she learned at school, a young girl (9) escaped an abduction attempt in Middletown, Ohio, according to wlwt.com.

The girl's mother credits Officer Mike Davies with saving the girls life after she fought off the 6'8", 300-pound would-be abductor on June 6.

The mother said her daughter kicked and screamed and punched, and did everything she was told to do.

Apart from being a great story about the ability to fight back - this story also raises the question as to how and how early children should learn about this issues.

Some say children should be allowed to be children. It's hard to disagree with that, really. However, at one time these lessons has to be taught, and they should be presented in some shape or form - the earlier the better.

One man, one plant, one plan

2008-06-20T14:39:00.003+02:00

This is just too funny - and too stupid I might add... You just have to watch the video - it's hilarious! Oh, and if the video clip is gone when you get there, just contact me and I'll provide it.

A would-be robber enters a store in DeLand, Florida. And what is his weapon of choice? A palm frond :-)

I don't know if this works in the guy's favor or not, but anyhow his claim is $50. Well, at least he's being specific about it.

The incident ends when a customer chases the man out the door with ... a gun? No, a bar stool :-) Like I said, you need to watch this video!

In shape

2008-06-18T13:01:00.004+02:00

It is without a doubt of great help to be in shape -- both in a physical, as well as mental sense -- if you ever end up in a self-defense situation.

A case in point is this story about a 41-year-old woman from New York City. The intended victim was assaulted by a knife-wielding intruder in her basement apartment.

The woman says her furious, and successful, self-defense response, is due to the fact that she works out at the gym 7 days a week.

When she fought back, by screaming, pushing the intruder and then knocking him in the groin, the man went scurrying out.

A chair affair

2008-06-17T14:47:00.003+02:00

Hawaii -- In Honolulu, Honoluluadvertiser.com reported about a man using a chair to defend himself when another man assaulted him with a skateboard and attempted to rob him at knife point.

The 54-year-old intended victim was reportedly able to fend off the younger attacker by using his chair until witnesses intervened and police arrived.

A chair can be used in primarily three ways as a defence tool. First it is possible to use the chair as a whole to hit an aggressor.

Then, you may (sometimes) be able to break of parts of the chair -- one of the legs usually works best -- to use as a club.

Finally, you can use it to push, or "catch" the aggressor -- think of the legs as four "fangs". If you hold the chair with the four legs pointing away from you, it is possible to avoid being kicked, punched or stabbed. Also, the attacker can be pushed and held against a wall.

This last scenario has occurred at psychiatric hospital and other places as well.

Courage beyond belief

2008-06-11T21:50:00.003+02:00

I strongly urge you to read this article. It's graphic and disturbing, but it leaves a lasting impression about this young woman's courage. What a will to survive!

Clever

2008-05-22T22:48:00.001+02:00

New Jersey -- A man police say may be responsible for a string of sexual assaults in South Jersey have been arrested, according to myfoxphilly.com.

Several women reportedly have been lured to a vacant home in rural Salem County. A suspect then raped or attempted to rape them inside the home, officials said.

Thursday night, a woman was able to get away with a crucial piece of evidence. A neighbor said "She broke his glasses to get away from him and she said he couldn't see, so he wasn't able to come after her."

When police arrived at the scene, they found the suspect looking for glasses which had been taken off his face by the intended victim.

Blind man fights intruder

2008-05-07T13:57:00.001+02:00

This man got my utmost respect. Way to go! It also proves how old wrestling skills can come in handy any day.

Story:
Indiana -- Wthr.com reported about a 49-year-old blind man who fought off an intruder Monday morning in Indianapolis.

Allan Kieta was reportedly having a day off and sleeping in when his dog Bella woke him up, letting him know something was wrong.

The home owner said the dog told him about a stranger in the house. And as he walked out of his bedroom, he ran right into the suspected burglar.

The men began fighting. "We fought maybe for 30 to 40 minutes - a long time," Mr Kieta said.

As the two men fought on the floor, Mr Kieta grabbed the intruder's belt, dragging him down the hall. According to reports he kept banging him against the walls to keep him disoriented and maintaining control.

"I was afraid if I let him up, he was going to kill me," Mr Kieta later told media. He used all his high school wrestling training to get the suspect to the kitchen.

Once in the kitchen, the home owner grabbed for the knife. He fumbled with the phone, trying to dial 911.

"He was begging, like, 'Don't kill me. I'll dial it for you!'," Mr Kieta said. "I was, like, 'You are not touching the phone'!"

Police arrived to the home quickly to arrest the intruder, who was hospitalized following the incident.

A very cautious girl

2008-05-02T14:42:00.005+02:00

"I'm a very cautious girl," this assault victim says. If that's the case, then it scares me to even think what being less cautious implies.
I mean, having your head down, and listening to your voicemail outside a nightspot at closing time... Oh yes, very cautious indeed!

Story:
In Springfield, Missouri, police are investigating a spate of downtown attacks on a women, according to ky3.com .

The latest assault occurred on Saturday, April 26. According to reports, there have been at least five reports of attacks in or near downtown since the beginning of 2008. The victims have been women in all but one incident.

The woman who reported the latest attack said it happened on a sidewalk. She had just stepped outside the nightclub just around closing time.

In three similar incidents, the victims said they were outside downtown nightclubs right after closing times.

"I never would have thought it could happen in just a little couple seconds that that took to happen," the Saturday assault victim said in an interview.

"I'm a very cautious girl; all my friends are," she said. But that wasn't enough to keep her out of danger. "I did have my head down listening to my voicemail and next thing led to another and I turned around and there he was," she said.

The woman says she just left the nightclub as it was closing down. She came around a corner to listen to her voicemail. She was alone and that's when she says the attacker pinned her hands above her head with one of his hands, then used his other hand to assault her.

The woman says she screamed for help and a stranger from across the street ran over to help. When he did, the attacker ran off.

Other victims haven't been as fortunate according to reports. Three similar incidents reported to police have much in common. They were all after closing, all outside downtown bars, all reported rapes and all listed a popular nightspot as a place where victims had been earlier in the evening.

Message (with) a bottle

2008-04-20T17:54:00.003+02:00

I guess the bottle of coke won this round... :-)

Story:
Florida -- It is reported that a woman and her bottle of coke were unharmed after fighting off a robber armed with an umbrella in Tampa, according to abcactionnews.com

Police said a mother and daughter team armed with an umbrella attempted to rob the woman who fought back with a bottle of Coca-Cola.

The 44-year-old victim was attacked as she was getting into her car at a food mart. The 45 year old female robber threatened the victim with an umbrella, telling her to hand over her purse.

Using a formidable 2-liter Coke bottle, the intended victim fought back, hitting the robber several times, police said.

The umbrella wielding robber was forces to flee -- without the purse -- in a vehicle reportedly driven by her 26-year-old daughter.

Great, free resource

2008-04-19T19:44:00.002+02:00

Here's another free resource for you - make sure you check it out as soon as possible:
The Martial Arts Vault

Inside The Vault you will lots of free and cool stuff about self-defense and the martial arts. In addition to the free stuff you may also find the occasional rebates to my e-books etc.

Enjoy!

Carjackers killed woman

2008-04-19T19:31:00.006+02:00

In Texas, a woman -- a mother of five -- was brutally stabbed to death when she fought back during a carjacking in northeast Harris County (Houston). Now, one of the suspects have been arrested, according to khou.com.

The woman was walking into a mobile phone store when a man, attempting to steal her car, grabbed her car keys. It is believed that the woman fought the would-be carjacker because her 4-month-old daughter was still in the car.

The 24-year-old assailant, which authorities say are an illegal immigrant, stabbed the woman several times. He then got into a waiting car driven by an accomplice. The store's security cameras captured the brutal attack.

Not long before the deadly attack, the assailant was caught in security video stealing beer from a convenience store, police said.

The carjackers -- using knives and targeting women -- reportedly began their crime spree at convenience store Tuesday in Northeast Harris County.

A surveillance video shows the passenger of a car getting out of the vehicle and walking into the store. On of the carjackers then approached the driver, waiting in the vehicle.

Using a knife, he forced her out and she hurried inside, uninjured, police said. Then the second carjacker jumped into the vehicle, hopping in the driver's seat. The stolen car then takes off.

The next day, the same men targeted another woman, police said. Again, the carjacked victim was unharmed. The third woman targeted Wednesday night fought back, and was tragically killed.

Ruined robber's day

2008-04-15T01:57:00.002+02:00

Robber's day ... is that something akin to St. Patricks Day, or Remembrance Day? It seems only fair that the robber's get their own day...
My bad jokes and similar bad taste aside, this 84-year-old guy really made my day. Sweet!

California -- A teenager may have been fooled by his intended victim's appearance. The would-be robber threatened an 84-year-old Santa Rosa man with a knife Wednesday afternoon, saying he wanted the man's wallet, according to pressdemocrat.com.

The elderly target put his grocery bags down. He then informed the young man he had been threatened by knives and bayonets before -- having fought in three wars as a U.S. Marine. He made it quite clear that the teen would be sorry if he came too close.

When the would-be robber stepped toward him, he proved his point by kicked the young criminal in the groin, according to police.

The teenager, who was estimated to be 15 or 16 years old, was reportedly left doubled over on the sidewalk around 1:15 p.m.

"Twist and shout"

2008-04-07T16:10:00.002+02:00

Yes - that's what it is called - the ball squeeze... You, grab and twist - he'll most likely shout (you get the picture)!
And this is by no means a "ladies only" technique. If you've got the balls for it (sorry, bad pun...) also guys have used this attention grabber (another bad pun...).

Anyway, here are a couple of practical applications:

South Africa -- A woman told police he had attacked at about 4:30 p.m. Monday in her field between two villages near the Swaziland border in Mpumalanga.

The 53-year-old villager was busy weeding her field when a man appeared and allegedly ordered her to go undress under a nearby tree.

The woman refused and the man threatened to stone her and then physically dragged her to the tree. The two fell to the ground and struggled, until the woman was able to get on top of him and grab his testicles.

When the man surrendered, she ran for help.

Ohio -- Police in Warren said a man kidnapped a 32-year-old woman at 6:15 p.m. Thursday - then attempted to sexually assault her.

According to police reports, the woman parked toward the rear of the parking lot at the main library to drop off books. She told police her van was left unlocked while she ran inside the library (great idea...).

When she got back into the van, a man placed a knife to the woman's side and forced her to drive to Packard Park. The perpetrator forced the woman to the floor of the van and began cutting off her clothes and undressing himself.

The woman was reportedly cut on her shoulder, arms and leg. She managed to escape the would-be rapist by grabbing his groin and twisting until he ran off.

More quick thinking

2008-04-03T20:57:00.001+02:00

I seriously wonder what goes to these guys head? Do they think that flashing a knife, and attempting to rape someone is romance?

Story:
Philippines -- Police said a driver allegedly tried to rape a 27-year-old woman in his taxi on Saturday night in Quezon City (Manila).

The woman told investigators how she boarded the taxi at around 8 p.m. Saturday. Soon, all the passengers, except for her, got off at the Metro Rail Transit station in Kamuning.

"The woman was sitting in the back seat, and the driver asked her to sit beside him in the front," a police spokesman said.

When she did so, the woman said the driver showed a knife, and started to touch her breasts.

The woman said she told the man that she would go with him to a hotel if they could eat first at a fast food diner nearby.

Inside the restaurant, the woman promptly asked the security guard for help. The driver managed to run back to his van and escaped. Police believe that the driver also had victimized other female passengers.

stalking, push-in

2008-03-31T02:16:00.003+02:00

Here is a "classic" case of a perpetrator using (at least) two means to get to his intended victim - stalking (following), and a push-in.

Story:
UK -- In Newcastle, police say a man stalked an 18-year-old female in the early hours of March 9 (Sunday morning).

The teenager was walking home from a night out with friends at around 2:30 a.m., and footage from closed circuit TV, shows the intended victim being followed through the city centre.

The assault happened at around 2:40 a.m. The perpetrator followed her inside her complex, grabbed and pushed into her home, before sexually assaulting her. Screaming and kicking him, the young woman forced the attacker to flee her home.

Great, free self-defense content

2008-03-27T02:38:00.003+01:00

I'm really excited about being able to bring you this link to great, FREE content!

Since you are here you are most likely interested in self-defense in general, perhaps even self-defense for women i particular? In any case, you should immediately rush over to:

Jujitsu.no/women-can

From that page you can sign up for my bi-weekly and brand new report 'Women Can'. These self-defense success stories are all taken from the e-book series "I Hear You Say Women Can't Defend Themselves".

And not only will I be sending out new incident rapport every 14 days. You will also find analysis of the incidents, plus valuable tips and pointers.

So, jump right over and Sign up today - you can thank me later :-)

More 'kung-shoe'

2008-03-24T17:01:00.003+01:00

New York -- A sexual assault occurred early Sunday in a downtown parking garage in Albany, according to dailygazette.com.

At around 3:10 a.m., a 22-year-old woman left a bar downtown and walked to the garage. On her way, she noticed a man following her on the street, according to a police spokesman.

This man then followed her as she walked up the exit ramp to the parking garage. The woman attempted to call police on her cell phone but the man grabbed her phone, threw it to the ground and then tried to get a hold of the woman.

The woman managed to break away and got into her car, the spokesman said, but the man also forced his way into the car, where he got on top of her. The woman continued to fight the attacker inside the vehicle before both reportedly fell out the passenger side and onto the ground.

The determined woman then began to hit the man in the face and eyes with the heel of her dress shoe. She was finally able to get away from the perpetrator.

The woman was later taken to a medical center, where she was treated and released.

A fight for life

2008-03-22T17:57:00.003+01:00

It is worth repeating; someone who believe they are fighting for their life has a tremendous amount of strength. The same goes if you decide you will not be taken down.
Is it always possible to fight back, or is it always wise to fight back? Of course not. Still, stories like this one here is a reminder of our possibilities in what may be called a worst case scenario.

Story
Canada.com reported about a 53-year-old convicted robber and rapist who attempted to rob a convenience store in Windsor, Ontario. Using a fake gun, plus a rather odd disguise made up of wig, heart-shaped shades, cowboy hat and fake beard - he lost what was referred to as a violent struggle with the 34-year-old diminutive female clerk.

A superior court judge told how the clerk thought she was going to be raped and perhaps killed. Lacerated and bloody, she believed she was fighting for both her sexual integrity and her life, the court heard.

The case prosecutor said the woman "fought valiantly" against the man. He struck the woman and held her down. But she fought back, scratching and biting the assailant, leaving "telltale marks" that police saw when he was later arrested.

The attempted robbery and rape failed because the female clerk got the better of a much larger, heavier and stronger man, the judge said.

The man walked into the store in September 2005 and demanded the keys to the place from the clerk, so that he could lock them both inside. The court was told how the man, in addition to his disguise and weapon, had a bag filled with duct tape, a knife and fake bomb.

A police report explained how the woman struggled the fake gun away from the attacker and actually hit him with it.The man fled the store after the fight, leaving his bag behind.

Resourceful 'Batboy'

2008-03-21T08:42:00.001+01:00

Arizona -- In January, abcnews.go.com reported about a 14-year-old boy who alone at home when a burglar broke into the house.

When Michael heard the intruder break into the Mesa home, he barely had time to hide in his room and call 911.

The teenager said how he could hear the person go into the room next door. Then the boy heard him scramble through his parents' room, opening all the doors. Finally, he heard heard him go through his own room. "He just broke in real quick," the teenager said.

The boy sat locked in his room giving information to a 911 dispatcher, hiding inside a closet and grabbing his baseball bat. When the criminal finally made it to the child's room and opened the closet door, the surprised intruder was met with a series of hits with the bat.

The man left the home, but was soon after caught by police.

Males being drugged

2008-03-19T14:27:00.003+01:00

As we have reported earlier, not only women are being given "date rape drugs". After all, the point of drugging someone can be rape, robbery, abduction - or any combination hereof.

On March 14 Earthtimes.org had a story about a 45-year-old Swiss man - a former Hollywood bodyguard and karate champion - who was found dead inside a Hong Kong love hotel in the Wan Chai nightclub district.

The article also mentioned other high profile cases which involved expatriates found dead after evenings out in the notorious nightclub district.

One of these cases involved a senior Finnish policeman who died of a heart attack at a Hong Kong hotel in 2003 after being administered with the "date rape" drug Rohypnol (flunitrazepam).

Her wits about her

2008-03-18T06:43:00.002+01:00

Very resourceful actions from this woman!

Story:
Florida -- A 76-year-old East Naples woman was able to outwit an intruder who was trying to rape her Sunday night nbc-2.com reports.

The woman left her bathroom after taking a shower around 8:30 p.m. when a man attacked her from behind.

The man allegedly forced her to the floor and tied up the woman's hands. He covered her eyes and then attempted to rape her.

The woman told officials while she was trying to reason with her attacker she was able to activate her medical alert bracelet and told him that police were on the way.

She said she was able to free herself and ran to a neighbor's house. The suspect took off.

Crying robber

2008-03-15T22:04:00.003+01:00

This is just too funny...
A guy tries to rob a salesman - receives a fist by his intended victim, and takes off crying. Guess he went straight to his mum for comfort.

Story:
In Gloucester, a 32-year-old salesman punched a would-be robber trying to steal his laptop at around 2:30 p.m. on February 19, according to a police spokesperson.

The salesman was allegedly knocking on a door when the offender came up behind him and pushed him.

"The would-be robber then demanded he hand over his computer and mobile phone," the spokesperson said.

The intended victim punched the offender and he is reported to have run off empty-handed and crying.

Bait and switch

2008-03-14T14:47:00.002+01:00

This method is quite often used by scam and fraud "artists". The classic case is to have you believe you buy an original, say, watch - and then switch to a fake once you have handed over your money.

As with most methods, it can be turned and utilised against the criminal. Here is one such case.
It also goes to show that these folks are not always the sharpest knife in the drawer...

Story:
Philippines -- Police say a taxi driver allegedly tried to rape a 27-year-old woman inside his cab on Saturday night in Quezon City (Manila), according to newsinfo.inquirer.net.

The woman reportedly told police how she boarded a taxi at around 8 p.m. Saturday. Shortly after, all the other passengers got off at the Metro Rail Transit station in Kamuning.

"The woman, who was in the back seat, said the driver asked her to sit beside him," a police spokesman said. When she did so, the woman said the driver took out a knife, pointed it at her and started touching her breasts.

The woman said she told the man that she would go with him to a hotel if they could eat first at a nearby fast food restaurant. While inside the restaurant, the victim quickly asked the security guard for help but the driver managed to run back to his van and take off.

Typical escalation

2008-03-14T00:14:00.003+01:00

This is a very typical - and tragic - episode of escalating violence.

Story:
Texas -- In Conroe, a 23-year-old man was stabbed to death and two others were injured in a disturbance outside a pub, according to chron.com.

The 23-year-old victim was stabbed with a knife late Thursday, police officials said. He was transported to a medical center, where he was pronounced dead.

Three men had just left the local pub and were walking to their car when they were confronted by three men in a pickup about 10:45 p.m.

An argument allegedly broke out and one of the men from the pickup began hitting the car with a small sledge hammer. A passenger from the car then reportedly stabbed the victim.

On the phone...

2008-03-12T23:07:00.004+01:00

I can't help but wonder if people are at all aware of how they may set themself up as a victim. And no, this is NOT the same as blaming the victim.

Story:
Maryland -- Nbc4.com reports about a 44-year-old woman who was walking and talking on a cell phone at about 11:30 p.m. in Montgomery Village on Sunday.

A man with a knife reportedly pulled her into a lower stairwell landing in an apartment building and raped her.

The attacker fled on foot after the woman fought back, police said. The attacker is allegedly "known slightly" by the victim.

Hazards at work, 46

2008-03-10T20:45:00.003+01:00

There have been several cases of violence towards real estate agents lately. Here is one of them.

Story:
In Corona, California police have arrested a 33-year-old man according to pe.com. Authorities claim the man made an appointment to see a house for sale Friday morning, then assaulted the real estate agent who came to show it.

Acting like a prospective buyer, the man allegedly arranged a meeting. When the agent showed up to the home, the man took the female agent by knifepoint into the home, according to police.

The man raped the agent after which he began stabbing her with a knife. The woman fought back and was able to get away and ran to a neighboring home.

When police arrived at about 10:45 a.m., they found the real estate agent bleeding from multiple stab wounds. The woman was taken to hospital.

Another "stick-up"

2008-03-06T10:46:00.003+01:00

North Carolina -- A 62-year-old Shelby man told police two males attempted to rob him using a BB gun, according to police reports.

The intended victim said he was shot in the leg and forehead, but still managed to fend off the would-be robbers with a stick, according to shelbystar.com.

Lame excuses #7

2008-02-29T21:11:00.001+01:00

Here's one of the "best" (read: worst) excuses of "it was self-defense" I've read in a long time.

Story:
In Hellertown, Pennsylvania, a 19-year-old male was arrested by police after assaulting his stepmother, according to nj.com.

The teenager allegedly threatened to kill her. He punched and kicked the woman unconscious -- also kicking her down a flight of stairs. Why? Because the woman said she would call police when she discovered he was using her credit card.

The woman later told police she feared for her life because the teenager had been abusive in the past.

The "lights are on, but there's nobody home" stepson told police, "I took no chances" indicating he assaulted her in self-defense.

Police said the woman suffered from a fractured left ankle, which required surgery. She had a severely swollen left eye and damaged eye socket, which may need surgery, as well as severe bruising and a cut to her mouth.

Yes of course, the poor kid fought back in self-defense...

Guys too

2008-02-25T21:52:00.002+01:00

If you believed only females got knocked out by "date-rape" drugs, then think again. You have to be aware that the stuff is being used also to rob people.

Kvue.com reports about cases in Texas (Dallas and Houston) where women allegedly have targeted men at hotel night clubs and used some type of drugs to spike their drinks.

A police spokesman said that this has happened shortly after meeting them,and that the rest of the night is a blur until they find their property gone when they wake up the next morning. All of these male victims wore expensive watches, police said.

Police said these professional crooks are flirtatious, and that at least 8-cases have been reported since November 2007.

No good Samaritans

2008-02-24T21:12:00.002+01:00

This is bad.

Story:
From Stockton, Teeside, UK news.bbc.co.uk reports about a serious sexual assault on a 20-year-old woman. She was reportedly walking home in the early hours of Sunday when a man grabbed her.

And here's the sad part: According to police, cars passed almost within inches of the assault. A number of cars, particularly taxis, drove past as the woman was being attacked, a police spokesperson said.

"It took place in the middle of the road, but not a single person stopped. There were at least five cars that passed her as she was lying on the road while the attack was taking place," the spokesperson said.

The woman had just finished a mobile phone call when the man attacked her. Despite being punched repeatedly to the face, she fought back and was eventuallyable to flee. She was later treated at a local hospital for facial injuries.

Slip slidin' away

2008-02-21T21:08:00.001+01:00

Colorado -- Denver police say a man they say attempted to abduct a girl walking to school Tuesday morning around 7:15 a.m., according to thedenverchannel.com.

A man in a car started catcalling at her as the teenager was walking to high school, a police spokesman said.

She crossed an alley and saw the car circle the block and approach her. The girl said a man got out of the back seat, grabbing her from behind.

Just as a second man got out of the vehicle, the girl was able to slide out of her coat and run to a residence nearby, police said.

A sagging thing

2008-02-20T19:31:00.004+01:00

Just came across this newsbrief from November 2005 and thought I'd share it with you guys. After all this is something I have hoped to witness a long time. In fact I think I'd be willing to pay quite handsomely just to experience it once.
What? Someone falling flat on his face as a result of the most stupid dress code ever: sagging - that's what.
This is the dumbest way to dress, bar none - and I've probably witnessed them all and worn some pretty daft outfits myself :-)

Story:
In Ferndale, Michigan, a then 30-year-old man stole several DVDs from a store and then attempted to take off on a bicycle.

When officers soon after found him in an alley, he tried to get away by foot. The only problem was that that his baggy jeans kind of got in the way.

His sagging pants dropped and tripped him. Police said the thief kicked off his pants and shoes and jumped a fence into a backyard, where he was apprehended.

'Latching out'

2008-02-17T17:56:00.003+01:00

You have probably heard the acronym RTFM (which stands for: Read The F****** Manual!)?
Well, maybe this story should give an indication as to why we men (because most of us will not RTFM) need to get over the "I'll figure it out myself and prove I'm a man - then - when everything else fails, I might read the manual" syndrome.

This story shows a very smart young woman. A series of precise observations and actions taking place. Read it!

Story:
Florida -- Abcnews.go.com reports about a woman who was forced, at gunpoint, into the trunk of her own car in Dayonta Beach on February 12 .

Saying to herself she had to get out before he got on the highway, the 26-year-old woman remembered the emergency latch in her trunk. She was able to jump when the carjacker slowed down, escaping with only a small scratch.

The woman said she remembered the latch because she had read the entire manual when she bought the car.

From bad to worse

2008-02-15T23:10:00.001+01:00

I can't really argue too much about this man following the culprits after being robbed at gunpoint. I might actually have done the same thing myself if I was in the position to do so.

However, pulling up alongside two armed - and now probably desperate - men, may not be your smartest move.

Personally, I would probably not follow someone in the first place unless I had some way of communicating with police. And my only reason for following someone would be to notify authorities.

Think about this:
After a robbery you're most likely to have strong adrenal reactions, and you most probably won't function too well (unless you're trained to do so/used to it). You are probably very angry, and this also doesn't exactly put you in a better "combat mode" either. And then add to it that you are dealing with (often times) armed and desperate people under the influence of drugs. A criminal does not want to get caught, remember...

And risking your life for some "valuables" ... things? Then that would really have to be some very special items of immense personal and sentimental value!

Story:
Virginia -- Police said a 49-year-old man was shot following a robbery in the Lorton area Sunday, according to nbc4.com.

The victim had just parked his SUV when he was approached by two masked men with guns, according to police. The victim reportedly gave the men his wallet and other items, and they got into a car and fled.

The robbery victim got into his car in order to follow the culprits. When he pulled up next to the suspect vehicle near an intersection, one of the culprits allegedly shot him in the upper body.
The man drove home and called police. He was later was hospitalized.

Lame excuses #6

2008-02-11T23:14:00.001+01:00

And so - in our quest to find all the daft excuses out there - time has once again come to blame drugs; after all it can't possibly be the perpetrator's fault, now can it?

Or - As winnipegsun.com puts it: "It's never their fault".

The Canadian paper is reporting about a disturbing case where a repeat, violent Portage la Prairie offender assaulted his girlfriend so badly, she spent five days in hospital.

And what did the judge do? Well, blaming the man's drug and alcohol use for starters. "He suffers from depression and was on medication at the time." Then she handed down a conditional sentence - house arrest (!) - for the brutal attack.

And this is from a female judge? Holly cow!

It should be noted that the 37-year-old man was on probation for an earlier assault against his girlfriend at the time of the assault, and had a court order to stay away from her.

The reporter (Tom Brodbeck) says, and I totally agree: "In my view, Justice Simonsen, you're completely out of touch with society."

"Safe" at home

2008-02-08T21:13:00.000+01:00

It is a fact that most sexual assaults are committed by someone the victim knows, or have met prior to the crime.
And even when there is a stranger element involved, there is a greater possibility that the victims are being assaulted at, or close to, their own home.
By studying several thousand such cases - see 'women can' for more info - I can attest to the "incidents" described below. Mind you, these are just some recent, totally random examples.

Stories:
(February 7) Fayetteville, North Carolina -- A 29-year-old woman reported that a man broke into her condominium and raped her on January 26 2008.
Police are not linking that incident to three that were reported in the same area over an 18-month period, according to fayobserver.com.
The most recent of the linked cases happened in September 2007 when a 21-year-old woman said a man broke into her home and raped her.
A 45-year-old woman told police a man broke into her home and raped her in February 2007.
A man grabbed a 23-year-old woman from behind as she was jogging and raped her in August 2006.
Because of the ongoing investigation, police are not saying how they linked the three cases or give details of any of the incidents.

(February 4) New Jersey -- Point Pleasant Beach police say a man broke into a home on Saturday and attempted to sexually assault a woman at knifepoint, app.com reports.
The attacker fled, and the victim ran to the house of a neighbor, who called the police. She was treated for her injuries at a medical center and later released, police said.

(February 7) Washington, D.C. -- msnbc.msn.com reports about a man who entered a building on Monday at about 10 a.m. by ringing a woman's door buzzer from the outside of the building and telling her he was looking for an apartment to rent.
The man then reportedly sexually assaulted the woman inside her residence.

(February 7, 2008) -- An unidentified man targeted a 19-year-old Arizona State University, Tempe student living in an apartment complex located near the University according to abc15.com.
Investigators believe the suspect used the porch of the ground level apartment to climb into the porch of the second floor unit.
Investigators say the man got on top of the young woman, but she fought back, biting him and then he disappeared into the large complex. The 19-year-old student received minor injuries during the attempted sexual assault.

Personal alarm

2008-02-06T23:14:00.000+01:00

Swedish media reports about 15-year-old girl who was assaulted by an unknown man in Oerebro.

The man, described as 25 - 30 years of age, allegedly attempted to rape the teenager on Sunday at around 9:45 p.m.

The girl reportedly managed to set off her personal alarm, scaring the masked attacker off.

'I-knee-do' #2

2008-02-05T04:04:00.000+01:00

As you may know by now, 'I-knee-do' refers to the art of gently (kind of...) placing (sort of...) your knee where it's likely to hurt. This 'way of the harmonious knee' should only be used on folks who totally asks for it - kind of like they 'kneed it' (bad pun, I know) :-)

Story:
A 23-year-old Missouri woman was able to fight off a would-be-rapist in Kansas City by kneeing him in the groin, according to kansascity.com.

The woman said she was grabbed by a stranger about 9 p.m Thursday night and pushed into an alley.

The attacker reportedly pushed the young woman to the ground and fondled her. He also rubbed against her and attempteded to take off her shirt and pants.

After about 10 minutes og struggling with the man, she used her knee. The attacker then limped away and the woman could call police.

Illegal cabs again

2008-02-03T17:26:00.000+01:00

Don't mind jumping into an illegal cab after a night out? What's the problem you say?

Well, let us use Oslo, my town in Norway as an example. Just in a couple of days there has been reported several instances of rape and other serious criminal activities involving illegal taxi drivers. One driver alone was recently accused of three sexual assaults against drunk, young female victims.

Then there's another case where a 41-year-old woman was raped and robbed. As if the sexual trauma is not enough, the travel insurance company have refused to pay the woman for the values she was robbed of.

Why? They claim the victim is to blame by getting into an illegal cab under the influence of alcohol.

Even if this may be a tough call, it points to the very real dangers of getting into one of these vehicles - if anything happens, you're basically on your own.

Lame excuses #5

2008-02-02T02:14:00.000+01:00

Today, in our series "It wasn't me - It was Mr Pee", we present you with an all too common tendency of blaming the victim: "She wanted it". After all we know it's never the perpetrator's fault, right?
Jeez...

Story:
A 27-year-old man allegedly attempted to rape a female leasing agent who was showing him an apartment in O'Fallon Lakes, Missouri, according to kctv5.com.

The man reportedly went to the apartment complex Sunday to inquire about an apartment. As the agent showed the man around, he blocked the front door and attempted to rape her, according to police.

The woman managed to escape by struggling and screamed for help.

And here comes the "I'm totally lame, and it shows" part:

This genius allegedly told authorities he had looked at the apartment with his wife the day before and "believed the agent was sending him signals that she wanted to have sex."

Quick thinking

2008-02-01T18:35:00.000+01:00

"(...) very good and quick thinking on her part. This probably prevented her from further attacks," an Indianapolis, Indiana police spokesperson said, according to wishtv.com.

Police say the woman was attacked in a parking garage on one of the busiest streets in the downtown area. The incident occurred in the middle of the afternoon when a lot of people were leaving work.

The woman was allegedly entering her car when the suspect put his hand around her mouth and pushed her into the car, police say.

The intended victim pushed the "panic" button on her keychain. When the attacker heard the horn and saw the flashing lights, he took off running.

Rape facts

2008-01-31T19:36:00.000+01:00

Some people may perhaps still believe that rape often times involve some perverted stranger jumping out from behind bushes late at night.

The figures below should indeed points to the undisputible, statistical facts that the assault rape by some "lurking weirdo" is not as prevalent as one might be led to believe by watching the news.

Of course, assault rape by total strangers do happen ... in fact you may read about hundreds upon hundreds of such cases in my e-book series: Women Can. And these are only cases where women fought back successfully.

Still, most rapes and attempted rapes are done by someone the victim knows, like a neighbour. And even though the below story is from India, it is really universal in nature.

Story:
India -- Figures collected from different police stations in Surat show that neighbours were involved in 23 out of the 45 rape or rape attempt cases registered during 2007. Girls aged between three and 15 were victims in 18 of the cases.

Neighbours were followed by other close acquaintances such as friends, who were involved in six cases. In three cases, rickshaw drivers were found to be involved, while the crime was committed in one case each by a tenant and a landlord.

Lover and to-be husband were found involved in two rape cases, while the father of a victim was the guilty in one case. The accused in four of the cases have not been identified so far, the police records show.

A police spokesman said that such cases are taking place not only in Surat, but are a common occurrence all over the country. He further said in many cases victim's neighbours or other acquaintances were involved as victims are in regular contact with them.

More school violence

2008-01-30T16:16:00.000+01:00

Here are three individual cases, each pointing to the huge - and vastly un- or under reported - problem of violence towards teachers.
One of the reports says: "Teachers and campus officials probably shun police reports and prosecution because they don't want to hurt the child or taint the school."

January 25, thedailyitemoflynn.com reported from Lynn, Massachusetts about a high school disciplinary meeting which turned violent.
The 20-year-old sister of a suspended student physically assaulted two teachers and threatened several others, according to the report.

January 28, dailytribune.com had a story from Oak Park, Michigan about a 17-year-old high school student being charged as an adult.
The teenager was reportedly accused of assaulting a female teacher, and the teacher says violence and threats at the school are increasing.

Then on January 29, ajc.com had an article about a female teacher from Lilburn, Georgia.
The experienced teacher was blindsided by a 12-year-old middle school student. "It was a beatdown", the newspaper says.

Lame excuses #4

2008-01-22T22:23:00.000+01:00

As you may have noticed, we have this kind of ongoing series, called: "It wasn't me - it was Mr Pee" - highlighting all the stupid excuses that people can use when caught red handed.
And today we will turn our attention to a brain-dead thief who used not just one, but two instances of "what, who, me?"
Anyone with nick names such as "Double D" and "D Rock" - who also actually attempts lame excuses like these -obviously needs more than just a bit of mental pimping to get the IQ level above the zero point...

Story:
Florida -- A theft suspect locked in the back of a patrol car in Despin kicked out the window, claiming he was claustrophobic, according to nwfdailynews.com.

The 21-year-old man allegedly also said a woman's purse accidentally wound up in his hands.

Two store patrons said they had stopped the man as he tried to leave with the purse. They said the man had picked it up off the floor, tucked it under his shirt and made for the exit.

The suspect, also known as "Double D" and "D Rock," said the alleged theft was unintentional. And here comes the best part. A deputy wrote in his report: "He explained that the strap of the purse fell onto his foot and when he turned around, it went with him. The next thing he knew, the purse was in his hands and he was being approached by two men who took the purse from him."

Double doze of duh delirium :-)

Your typical bouncer?

2008-01-21T06:45:00.000+01:00

Probably far from it - this guy seems to be one really mean and depraved individual.

According to guardian.co.uk, the 39-year-old is on trial, accused of murdering two women (19 and 22 years old). Both reportedly died after being struck with a blunt instrument. The man is also on trial for two attempted murders and one count of kidnap and false imprisonment.

According to the paper he has previous court appearances dating back to when he was 13. He had admitted offences ranging from vehicle theft, having an offensive weapon to assaulting a police officer.

He was jailed for a total of 13 months in 1991 for hitting a constable in the face, common assault on a special constable and failing to surrender.

In February 2005, he was jailed for eight months and banned from driving for seven years for dangerous driving after being stopped on a motorway hard shoulder at 70mph.

And this guy was working as a bouncer (doorman)...

Now, you may all say that most bouncers are not like this person here, and fortunately you're right. However, and this is my point, there are too many in that line of work who pose a real danger to those around them.

How do I know - I used to work the doors myself. It used to be worse, but there are still too many young guys out there with far too much testosterone, short fuses, little or no empathy, steroids, drug abuse, criminal connections and what have you not.

Norwegian psychologist Per Isdal describes in his book "Meningen Med Volden" ("The Purpose of Violence" - unfortunately available in Norwegian only as far as I know) amongst other things how one bouncer used his work to set people up for violence. A scary read; even more so if you knew that there are more guys like this out there.

One small piece of advice: Do not talk back at bouncers - it really does you no good at all. What it potentially can do is get you and others hurt.

And by all means - let us not forget that most of these folks are nice, hard working, under-paid and under a lot of stress. Be nice, boys and girls :-)

A secret password

2008-01-19T10:49:00.000+01:00

Minnesota -- Two young Rochester students (first and second grade) said a man approached them Wednesday afternoon as they were walking to their day care after school according to kttc.com.

The unknown man reportedly told Isabel and her friend that they were supposed to go home with him. The two young girls ran away and made it home safely.

The youngest girl's mom says a code word may actually have saved the girls' lives. When the man told the girls they were supposed to go home with him, the second grader asked 'what's my password?' when he provided the wrong answer she started screaming and they ran away.

The girl and her mom picked out the code word just in case someone other than she had to pick her up.

Classic cases of distraction

2008-01-17T10:06:00.000+01:00

In Iowa City (Iowa), police are searching for a predator (or perhaps more than one person), according to gazetteonline.com. Police say young women have been targeted in downtown neighborhoods for months.

There are reportedly more than 31 reported incidents over a period of 12 months. The cases have similarities in more ways than the description of the perpetrator - a college age, white male of average weight an height.

Victims are often distracted, talking on cellular phones or fumbling with keys.

The man sneaks up on his intended victims and flees when they resist. Police says he targets college-aged females walking alone in residential areas which are poorly lit at the time of the attack. His victims are nearly always wearing a skirt or dress at the time of the attack, according to police.

The perpetrator often may confront his intended victim for less than a minute before fleeing, police said.

Just one drop

2008-01-16T09:33:00.000+01:00

Missouri -- Thanks to a drop of blood, police believe they've solved a violent crime that occurred more than eight years ago in Clayton, bnd.com reports.

And now, a 38-year-old St. Louis man faces charges for robbing and sexually assaulting a woman in 1999.

Police say the woman was talking on the phone when she was grabbed from behind. Wearing a pillowcase over his head, the assailant tried to sexually assault her.

Fighting back, she bit the suspect so hard it drew blood. That turned out to be vital to the case.

Late 2006, the blood sample was entered into a DNA index system - something which eventually led police to the suspect, who was on probation for another crime.

A good Samaritan killed

2008-01-15T09:41:00.000+01:00

I'm sure you've read or heard about the 39-year-old New York City subway conductor, Maurice Parks, who just recently fought off three muggers? The man allegedly trained martial arts at a Harlem 'elite dojo', and he used a knife to defend himself.

It is believed the robbery victim inadvertently may have killed Flonarza Byas, a young man who tried to help him during the incident. As nydailynews.com writes: "(...) a good Samaritan who waded into the bloody fight, was fatally stabbed - and investigators say it's likely that Parks delivered the fatal wound not knowing that Byas was trying to help."

Now, this is a tragic incident for all involved. I am really sorry for the young man who was killed while trying to help, and I really hope that the three young muggers will be tried as adults and prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

What I would like to draw some attention to is how terribly wrong things can go if you just "wade into" an incident without knowing how it is perceived by the one (or ones) you are trying to help.

It is virtually impossible to distinguish who is who in the middle of a fight like this! Why do you think police uses verbal commands during their interventions?

So if you decide to intervene (which I really hope you will do), please make sure you state up front who you are and what you are doing - in a loud and clear voice. Of course it is always (if there's time) your best bet to call police first, and then try to help in other ways. You may also want to state loudly that you have called police, and that they are on their way (this goes even if you haven't called police...).

If you can not see who the attackers are - you can not distinguish the victim (or victims) from the attacker (or attackers) - it is not very wise to intervene directly/in a physical sense. If, on the other hand, you do know who you are in fact trying to help - make yourself known to that person (or those persons) - visually as well as verbally!

The weapons myth

2008-01-14T07:42:00.000+01:00

Hop over to my Squidoo women's self defense lense and have a look at the latest article.
It's about things to think about if you consider utilising a weapon (such as kubotan, spray, keys, taser, knife or gun).
I'd love to get your feedback on this topic!