I’ve been training in mixed martial arts for a year, and love it. Not just the fitness aspect (a kickboxing class burns about 700 calories), but for the intangible benefits of studying any martial art: discipline, respect, indomitable spirit, perseverence, self-mastery, etc.

I’m also confident knowing I could put up a decent fight, if I was ever in a vulnerable situation. The likelihood of that happening – who knows? But I hate the thought of being a victim. As well, someone I know very well and love very much was the victim of domestic violence for many years. So I feel strongly that all women (and slightly-built men) should learn some form of self-defence. And others agree with me – around the world, people are encouraging women to take up self-defence classes: see here (Australia), here (Jamaica) and here (India).

It doesn’t have to be MMA or karate etc., but some skills that can be practice to the point where if you’re in danger, a self-defence move will be second nature, and give you enough time to get away. I enjoy watching the upper-belts at my dojo during sparring practice, and aspire to have top skills.

“It’s a scandal that violence against women is allowed, excused and overlooked.” – Amnesty International Australia

The stats are SCARY.

• Globally, one in three women will be beaten in their lifetime.
• In Australia, one in three Australian women will experience physical violence in their lifetime, while 23% to 28% will experience sexual or emotional harm.
• Domestic violence constitutes the single biggest health risk to women of reproductive age.

It would be nice if we didn’t have to teach women to defend themselves, or teach men not to be violent, but we do. It’s encouraging to see movements like One Billion Rising and the protests that followed the gang rape and murder of a 23-year old woman in India and rising number of rapes nationwide. But while gender-based violence continues to be a major problem, I believe women should learn self-defence.

For more info on One Billion Rising, check out this article from TIME and watch Charlize Theron’s PSA.

I watched a self-defence-themed episode of Oprah in 2008 featuring Gavin de Becker and his book, The Gift of Fear (left). I highly recommend this book…I’ve read it twice, and keen to start it again soon. De Becker explains his book helps readers learn how to:

• Recognize the survival signals that warn us about risk from strangers
• Rely on their intuition
• Separate real from imagined danger
• Predict Dangerous Behavior
• Evaluate whether someone will use violence
• Move beyond denial so that their intuition works for them

Oprah also featured a self-defence/survival expert explaining some tactics regarding kidnapping prevention, and running in a zig-zag (rather than straight line) if you’re running from someone trying to shoot you. Similar info is available on Survival Options: “Accurately shooting a live target – especially a moving target – is extremely difficult.” Again, it’s highly unlikely I’ll ever need to escape from a gunman, but I like knowing what to do just incase.

I’m really interested in ‘street survival’ tactics. These aren’t generally covered in martial arts classes; I’ve learned various ‘real-world attack’ (knife, wrist, hair, shoulder) defences in my martial arts classes, but not stuff like How To Escape From Zip Ties (via It’s Tactical – the guide includes lots of instructional videos).

Re: security/safety products

I keep a ‘LifeHammer’ in my car (ordered after watching a survival-themed episode of Dr. Oz), purchased from eBay for about $5 including postage (from Hong Kong – obviously not the R’d Life Hammer!).

As the official website explains, the LifeHammer® allows people to escape from being trapped in vehicles by cutting jammed seat belts and breaking car windows. It features a double-sided hammer head, specially designed with hardened steel points to shatter car windows in an emergency, and a razor-sharp blade to cut through seatbelts if you’re trapped.

When I lived in Perth last year, I considered buying pepper spray (before I started MMA classes). When I studied abroad in the US, my roommate had a mini canister attached to a keyring on her car keys. I didn’t end up buying it in Perth (I saw a can for sale at the Freo markets for around $35, which seemed pricey), but it’s interesting that WA is the only Aussie state where pepper spray is legal, as a “controlled weapon”. I’d buy some here in SA if it was legal, but as it’s not, I could use my deodorant spray in a jam – presumably that’d have less-potent ‘stun’ effect if sprayed in the eyes.