There is a lot that needs to be done with regards to women safety by all the parties involved, by each one of us, the Society in general, Government bodies, NGOs, Corporates etc.
I totally agree that crimes, sexual assaults and violence against women should not happen and we need to raise our boys to be better men. But till that change comes about, women should not sit and hope that they don't become the next victim. Just like robbery is bad and should not exist but we take precautions by locking our doors etc or cyber crime is bad and should not exist but we take precautions before opening unknown links etc. Similarly we need more women to take precautions and be ready to tackle a situation than just hope not to become a victim.
The first line of defense needs women to get fit and tough along with training in a realistic self defense based combat training system. Just going for a sport based martial arts system will make you have the false belief in your ability, where none exists. Train where the training is realistic and pressure tested with realistic scenarios. Sports and realistic martial art training systems both are wonderful but one is for competitions and the other is for self defense on the street.
Proper training not only makes a woman tough with the ability and confidence to fight back but also gives them exposure and knowledge in various factors of self defense like situational awareness, verbal de-escalation, law with regards to self defense, use of force multipliers and lots more. Many times especially on the street, situational awareness and verbal de-escalation is more than enough to prevent one from being attacked.
Just because one is training regularly doesn't guarantee they can immobilize an attacker but it gives you a better chance at saving yourself from harm or loss. It is foolish to think that a man or a woman at 70kgs will easily foil an attack by a relatively fit or trained man or woman at a 100kgs. Size does matter, but proper training will guide you on how to reduce the size and strength disadvantage that one may have.
There exists no shortcut or short training module. It takes regular training for years to become relatively proficient in it. Yes attending or organizing a workshop can be a start but it is not the solution. Corporates, Companies, Organizations, Institutions, Hotels etc should organize workshops for their staff and encourage the staff to continue training after the workshops too. Most people that attend self defense workshops or a course of a few days don't remember what they did after a month or two. Regular training for years is needed to set the movements into the muscle memory. To give one the ability to respond out of reflex instantly when attacked.
Besides training there are certain things that women can carry with them to help safeguard themselves. However if it is a force multiplier or equalizer then it needs to be easily accessible and not somewhere hiding inside a purse filled with a wallet, comb/ brush, lipstick, deodorant, cell phone etc. It should be easily accessible without even looking for it. All force multipliers and equalizers that are legally permitted are good, but without regular training, one might just remove something which the attacker snatches away from you and uses it on you itself.
Some such gadgets or things to carry are -
Hidden camera detector - With increasing number of cases of hidden cameras being found in trial rooms, washrooms, hotel rooms etc it is important for all irrespective of gender to carry a hidden camera detector. There are many devices available online. Do your due diligence before buying a hidden camera detector.
Pepper Spray - This is a good thing to carry. However it also needs some basic training and practice in application too. Where it is kept matters too, what if while fumbling through your purse, you pull out your deodorant instead of the pepper spray? One also needs to train and understand what they need to do after they use the pepper spray on their attacker.
Pens or tactical pens - Tactical pens are just like normal pens but they are made from metal and have a better grip to hold in the hand while striking. Even a regular pen will do. This is an excellent force multiplier. However again one needs to train and practice using it properly. Accessibility in an emergency is also very important.
Stun guns or tasers - As far as we are aware both of these are illegal to carry in India. Carrying or using something that is illegal will get one in more legal trouble even if used out of self defense. Since this is not legal to carry, we do not recommend buying such devices.
To sum it up, yes we need change, yes many things need to be done, but what matters is - what are we doing about this? If all of us irrespective of gender start taking steps for women safety then the change will be faster. Don't sit and wait for change because
Nothing Changes,
If,
Nothing Changes.
Be the change you wish to see.
Train like a warrior to be a warrior!!!
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