Personal Defense for Women

by Gila Hayes

  Understanding how and under what circumstances people are injured at work helps us focus on appropriate self-defense training and tools. In no way is shooting skill alone sufficient. Disarming skills against both gun and knife are recommended, as well as unarmed defenses to escape grabs, parry a blow, slip or defuse the power of a punch, and even verbal defenses.

  Responses to Harassment

  The old adage that “Words can never hurt me” is not completely true. In the workplace, verbal harassment and veiled threats are not only illegal but also often lead to physical symptoms of stress, anxiety and decreased work performance. Judith Weiss, a Texas-based self-defense trainer and editor of the Assault Prevention Information Network, gives a cogent description of worker harassment and the challenge of choosing an appropriate response:

  “Mini-rapes—the verbal and physical intrusions that women routinely put up with—may be a simple attempt to demean and demoralize us, or may be a test to see whether we are compliant or easily manipulated (and therefore a likely rape victim). About 70% of assaults on women are by people we know (dates, coworkers, spouses, neighbors, family members) and occur where we live, work and socialize …. We do want to discourage or interrupt a verbal or physical intrusion, but if the perpetrator is not actually threatening bodily harm, it would be inappropriate (and probably illegal) to wound or kill him. … Verbal assertiveness and simple evasive techniques (like a release from a wrist grab) may be enough for pest control.”

  Kathy practices knife disarming skills to augment her skill at escapes from grabs and other attacks.

  In a lightening-fast response, she puts her hand on Don’s knife hand.

  With both hands controlling the knife hand, Kathy is ready to apply a wrist lock.

  Rolling his wrist over, Kathy effects release of the knife.

  It’s not necessarily over with the knife on the ground! Additional pressure further disrupts the attacker’s balance and will put him over backwards, giving Kathy a better chance to escape unharmed.

  Assertive deterrence by verbal and physical deflection should be part of every woman’s job skills. As discussed in earlier chapters, predators prefer easy prey and are less likely to harass the woman who early on and actively resists bullying or exploitation. Sadly, there are so many easier targets on which the harasser may prey.

  Abuse in the workplace must be documented and reported, even if the employer refuses to take the complaints seriously. If your supervisor belittles or jokes about your complaint, document your report in writing and keep that record safe. Physically resisting an attack by a fellow-worker will be more defensible if you can prove you tried every other means available to you before the conflict escalated.

  Even then, the amount of force used to stop undesired contact, groping, grabs, or more serious assault must be in proportion to the offense. In the following chapter, we discuss vital intermediate defenses and physical skills that have a very real application in fending off creeps, gropers and worse.

  Coworker Problems

  Along with worker-on-worker harassment, remain aware of fellow workers’ backgrounds. Listening to your coworkers can alert you to personal conflicts that may migrate into the workplace. The Center for Disease Control estimates that homicide is the leading cause of death for women in the work place, and one-third of all homicides not associated with robbery or crimes by strangers are the result of intimate partner violence, according the University of Iowa Injury Prevention Research Center.6

  If you worry someone you work with may become violent or be the target of aggression, you will need to choose the appropriate degree of intervention. At a minimum, being aware and monitoring workplace “time bombs” will give you an enormous advantage over most workers who are completely surprised when violence erupts and they are caught in the crossfire. Early recognition of behavioral cues, as well as learning techniques to prevent or diffuse volatile situations, is a useful first step that may prevent more serious dangers. Loren Christensen’s book Surviving Workplace Violence7 is an excellent source from which to learn the warning signs and what to do before, during and after a workplace assault.

  Physical defense skills include knowing what to do if a harasser grabs your arms or hands in a controlling manner.

  Without harming her practice partner at all, Diane has slipped out of his grasp. In the workplace, this escape allows a woman to choose the kind of defensive response appropriate to the situation, be that harsh words, leaving the area or, if the attack, continues a physical defense.

  Give wide berth to clients or coworkers displaying danger such as verbal threats against an employer, supervisor or coworkers; trouble accepting authority; obsessions about grudges; real or imagined romances or other troubled coworker relationships; social withdrawal; legal, financial or marital problems; inability to accept criticism or take responsibility for problems; substance abuse; recently disciplined or passed over for promotion; history of violent behavior; manifestations of despair or depression, paranoia, suspicions or jealousy; and mood swings.

  Unless personally attacked, quickly leaving the scene of a dangerous confrontation involving a coworker lets you call for help instead of become a hostage or a victim. The layout of the work area can aid or interfere with your ability to scan for danger, as well as hinder escape during an attack. If you can, arrange your workspace for maximum visibility, with an especially good view of public entrances. When arranging your own personal work area, resist the urge to turn your back to the world, as many do to improve concentration. Your chair should face the entrance into your personal space.

  In jobs or circumstances that entail elevated risk, seriously consider a deep or angled reception counter that offers greater protection. If that is not possible, rearrange generic workplace furnishings to limit physical accessibility to your person. Most importantly, know various escape routes, and be sure that back doors or other alternative routes are not blocked by trash, storage boxes or other detritus. A keyed deadbolt is not an appropriate lock for an emergency exit, of course, but especially in small businesses these kinds of oversights often go unnoticed until an emergency.

  At a minimum, employers can be expected to provide a secure workplace with ID badges and limited access, good lighting, alarm systems, video surveillance, drop safes to minimize cash on hand, and equip offsite workers with cell phones, as well as putting workers on a schedule with check points to keep supervisors informed of their location. When appropriate, use buddy systems, a security escort, or simply refuse to go to job sites where the client has exhibited violent responses.

  The Safe Box product uses a keyed lock and hardware to which the box attaches to protect a small gun from theft or tampering. If you choose to secure a gun in the work place, yet cannot carry it on your person, you must be sure you can lock the gun securely away from anyone but yourself.

  With increasing frequency, carrying defensive tools is restricted in the workplace, as management struggles to understand and prevent violence. If prohibited from carrying a self-defense gun, pepper spray, knife or other weapon at work, you owe it to yourself to ratchet up your alertness, hone your unarmed skills and increase escape route awareness even more. A quick glance at your desk top will reveal items that can be improvised as weapons. Remember, though, if you can strike a blow with a tool or furnishing, so can an assailant.

  Entrepreneurs and employees who are able to possess handguns and other weapons for defense at work may feel safe with the gun locked in the desk drawer. While a gun anywhere on the premises is better than none at all, I think it creates a false sense of security, especially for women who are at greater risk of a bare-handed attack. Concealing a handgun beneath business attire is challenging, yet it can be accomplished. Carry devices like Kramer Handgun Leather’s Confidant® holster undershirt and elastic belly bands and thigh holsters, like those marketed by Galco provide deep concealment that keeps the gun on your person.9 It is available to you when you go to the supply room, greet a client, and perform o
ther duties that take you away from your desk.

  Professional women have one of the more difficult dress codes to balance against sensibility and safety. Instead of one-piece dresses, skirted suits or pants suits will more easily conceal a small, defensive handgun carried at the waistline. For freedom of movement that facilitates defense or escape, consider trouser suits or wear pleated or fuller skirts. Instead of spike heels, acceptable low-heeled alternatives include dressy versions of the classic loafer or modifications of the ballet slipper. Accessories like neck scarves are not without risk, as are chains or jewelry that will not break away with a brisk tug. Flashy or expensive jewelry may also target you for a spur-of-the moment robbery, so we must recommend a conservative approach to accessories, too.

  Deep concealment devices like Kramer Handgun Leather’s Confidant® (left) or the Smart Carry Invisible Holster (right) can conceal small guns beneath the typical business attire Jacqueline and the author wear.

  A belly band, like this one by Galco can conceal a small gun like this 9mm Kahr PM9 when standards call for a dress.

  Some find a thigh holster even better concealment for small guns, especially if their wardrobe contains a lot of dresses. This rig is made by Galco.

  Tough Times All Over

  In a study focused on health care worker’s dangers, the National Security Institute accurately diagnosed one cause of dangers. “In the shrinking job market, employees feel they must prove themselves and devote more and more time to their careers. Employers struggle to keep companies productive and successful. Both employers and employees have need to be reminded that a safe, secure work environment enables both to achieve their goals.”

  Avoid personal work habits that increase your risk, including staying late at work, going in to work early or on weekends when the building is deserted, and failing to report harassment to management for fear it will effect your chances for promotion. All represent very real dangers, and you will gain little if you become unable to work due to death, injury or stress.

  Notes

  1Survey of Workplace Violence Prevention 2005: A special survey conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Department of Labor for the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Health and Human Services, BLS Press Release, October 27th, 2006

  2Occupational Safety and Health Administration Fact Sheet, 2002; and Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2001, Violence in the Workplace, 1993-1999. Washington, D.C., U.S. Department of Justice.

  3http://www.forbes.com/2002/09/03/0903worksafe.html

  4Occupational Safety and Health Administration Fact Sheet. Op cit.

  5ibid.

  6University of Iowa Injury Prevention Research Center. Feb. 2001. Workplace Violence: A Report to the Nation. Iowa City, IA.

  7Surviving Workplace Violence by Loren Christensen, ISBN 978-1-58160-465-8, Paladin Press, Gunbarrel Tech Center, 7077 Winchester Circle, Boulder, CO 80301, 303-443-7250 www.paladin-press.com

  8Kramer Handgun Leather, P. O. Box 112154, Tacoma, WA 98411 or Smart Carry Invisible Holster, Concealed Protection 3, Inc., 940–7th St NW, Largo, FL 33770 www.smartcarry.com 888-459-2358

  9Galco Gunleather, 2019 W Quail Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85027

  CHAPTER 10

  Hit ‘em Where It Hurts

  “I was asleep. He was on me so fast I didn’t have time to do anything. Besides, he had a knife,” confided the first woman. “He had my arms pinned down. I couldn’t have used a gun even if I had one. All I could see was the Bible on the headboard of my bed, so I concentrated on it to keep my sanity while he raped me,” another confided later.

  I was at a women’s exhibition promoting self defense and firearms classes with an aggressive sign that asked, “Could You Stop a Rapist?” Relating their stories, both women desperately needed to convince me—and themselves—that nothing could have prevented the rape they endured. Both spoke quietly for a few minutes, with obvious effort to dismiss the possibility that anything might have facilitated their escape. While I never question the decisions made by a sexual assault survivor, the conversations took the sunshine from my day. I felt sad that neither had detected the rapist entering the house or been able to fight back.

  I was more troubled that neither would consider preparing for the possibility of further danger and seemed to sadly accept their role as victim.

  Since you’ve made it this far in the book, you know that I earnestly advocate crime avoidance over fighting, and escape over shooting. Safe housing, safe behavior, and awareness of danger when you’re at home, work, in your car or in public, are among the first survival lessons I want to emphasize.

  Think you’re helpless if pinned down in a prone posture? Diane Walls shows the fallacy of that belief!

  Although I believe that a gun can be a valuable asset—one that we’ll discuss at length in later chapters—we need to realize that the gun is merely a safety rescue tool. A gun is of no help unless we are mentally prepared to fight back and know how to escape an assailant’s restraint to gain the time to reach the weapon. Finally, the gun is inappropriate against a minor threat: even displaying a gun is justified only in situations where innocent life is in immediate danger. How much better it would be to avoid or deter the predator before suffering rape or other injury!

  When prevention alone is not enough, understanding how physical force is exerted helps us frame appropriate responses and can motivate even the inactive women into defensive training.

  The Weapons You Always Carry

  Unarmed escapes and defenses should be mandatory training for all girls as they grow up. A girl’s or woman’s size or stature should be little detriment if the teacher is innovative and the martial art selected is suitable for women’s self defense. For example, Aikido techniques work on principles of leverage, so do not depend on weight or size to work against a larger assailant, a factor we can safely predict when discussing women’s self defense. Alternatively, I would look beyond fighting styles that emphasize wrestling or grappling, which require upper body strength.

  Women need a repertoire of basic defensive skills they can learn in a manageable period of time, perhaps one to two months, with simple, powerful techniques that can be regularly reviewed with friends or partners. These include basic blocks and parries to deflect physical attack, responses to an armed attack and uses of less-than-lethal weapons.

  Many students of the martial arts find the physical training and practice relaxing and empowering and will continue training indefinitely. While that is a wonderful experience, it is unfair to deny physical defense skills to students who cannot or will not commit years to the discipline. If among the latter group, consider instructors trained in the Tony Blauer Personal Defense Readiness program1. This approach to self defense is simple, easily understood and necessarily brutal. Students get the chance to take on well-padded and protected role-players to go full-force with the techniques they have been taught.

  Simply learning new ways to use your body and spirit is the door that motivates some to continue their physical self-defense studies. More than posture, stance is the way you stand to distribute weight and maintain better balance. Breaking habits like standing with knees locked, feet close together or on a line from which balance is easily broken are all part of developing a strong stance that is relaxed yet ready, attuned to Condition Yellow.

  Stance and body awareness are the definitive factors in individuals who radiate command presence. This bearing claims and usually receives a respect for personal space. When crowded, either as a “test” or simply by a rude, invasive oaf, strong stance and body awareness makes it natural to simply turn sideways, enlarging your personal space without uttering so much as a word of rebuke.

  Another aspect of physical defense training is developing response speed. Attacks happen so quickly there simply is not time to fall back and devise a strategy. If you expect to escape, a harsh, rapidly executed counterattack will be required. Most people wait too long t
o fight back, whether simply moving off the line of force, discharging pepper spray, or drawing their defensive handgun. Some deny that the attack is truly happening to them, others search in their handbag for the can of pepper spray they dropped in months ago, and still others are caught in what famous instructor John Farnam calls “mental fibrillation,” trying to decide what to do. Self-defense training, as well as continued practice and mental rehearsal, are all good preventive medicine for mental fibrillation.

  In seeking physical defense instruction, be clear about what you need. Many traditional martial arts have been diluted by tournaments and rules and have lost sight of the defensive necessity from which they evolved. If a self-defense instructor boasts of tournament wins, or shows off elaborate, choreographed sequences and flamboyant high kicks and spins, keep shopping. A street fight doesn’t recognize belts or trophies. It is survived by returning simple, vicious physical responses that can be implemented on irregular ground, in darkness or disorientation, and other unfavorable circumstances.

  Simple and Vicious

  In hand-to-hand defense, the defender must 1) disable the assailant’s ability to breathe or see, or 2) impede movement by damaging limbs and extremities. “Disrupt wind, vision, or limbs,” advises Phil Messina, founder of Modern Warrior.2 When you evaluate a defensive art or weapon, ask if it accomplishes at least two of these objectives.