Some people would argue that women’s self-defense shouldn’t be any different from how men train for self-defense, those people are probably men. We’d like to somewhat disagree with that and look at all perspectives.
Women are naturally built differently compared to men, shouldn’t that be something to consider during self-defense training? The approach, technique, and psychology are completely different.
Let’s be real here,
Given the increasing statistics of abuse against women, women should definitely learn self-defense for all benefits that include, self-empowerment and confidence, prevention of harm by understanding situational awareness, and being equipped to protect themselves from harm should it occur
This also means, doing whatever it takes, however you can, using whatever self-defense weapon you have at the time… even if it’s barehanded cheap shots or using that ultra resourceful handbag full of every day disguised and unassuming weapons to create an unfair advantage against an attacker!
As much as we fight for gender equality and to grind down on gender stereotypes, in a lot of cases men are stronger and more aggressive than women. If, as a woman, you want to learn to defend yourself, it would be imprudent not to take that into consideration.
Importance of Women’s Self Defense
There are over 250 violent crimes every minute in the US against females according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics (more stats below)
Sadly, many women will have experienced that feeling of dread at some point in life, when they find themselves thinking “Please don’t let this go any further.”
This feeling of insecurity & helplessness is usually the case because you can’t think of how to stop him or your attacker from taking it any further and you know that if he did, he could overpower you in a heartbeat. This is where the importance of self-defense comes in, by being more aware of your environment (situational analysis), being in control first of your own emotions & distress, (Awareness, Acknowledgement, Accept & Act), understanding your capabilities & harnessing your environment to your benefit.
Statistics Showing Abuse Against Women
According to Bureau of Justice Statistics, Criminal Victimization Report 2017 (www.bjs.gov) and Centre for Disease Control (www.cdc.gov):
- There are 500 violent crimes every minute in the US, with just over half the victims being female.
- 3 out of 4 offenders in violent crimes are men.
- A rape occurs every 1½ minutes in the US.
- 1 in 5 women in the US will be a victim of rape or attempted rape in their lifetime.
- 2 in 5 will be subjected to contact with sexual violence.
- 1 in 6 will be coerced into sex.
- 1 in 6 will be a victim of stalking.
- 1 in 3 will be subjected to violence, sexual violence, or stalking by an intimate partner.
- 4 out of 5 rapes or attempted rapes are carried out by someone known to the victim.
This is a very upsetting and unfortunate reality that we live in especially when women become easy targets. Just some reasons why women must be able to stand their ground when taken advantage of.
What’s the Difference In Women’s Self-Defense?
Women’s self-defense shouldn’t be any different from men’s self-defense, but, it should be a more ‘tailored version’ of standard self-defense principles, tips, and techniques better suited to a women’s physique that combat threats most commonly encountered by women.
What sets apart men’s self-defense from women’s self-defense? There are various factors as follows.
- Psychology
The biggest difference between self-defense for women and for men is the psychological aspect. Women tend to carry themselves differently and to react differently to aggression. For a more in-depth look into how to come across as less of a target, see this article from Psychology Today.
Men tend to approach women differently than they do men, and their reasons for attacking a woman are also often different from their reasons for attacking a man.
A women’s self-defense class will place a lot of emphasis on assertiveness. Learning to carry yourself in a confident manner, learning not to be coerced into doing something you rather wouldn’t, and learning to stick to your boundaries and deflect manipulation.
If it doesn’t, you’ve probably been roped into a box-standard self-defense course, which uses women’s-only classes as a marketing ploy. There are plenty of those about too. Make sure the class you choose is clear about what makes it specifically for women.
- Motives of Attack
Another difference in women’s self-defense classes is the kind of attack you train to defend yourself against. Well not entirely. You should learn to defend yourself against all the same attacks a man would, but women have to also worry about this ugly act of rape.
Chances are, as a woman, that’s probably the number one reason you are looking to learn how to defend yourself. Sure, you sold your kidney to get that Balenciaga handbag, but you’ve still got the other one. You can’t just hand something over to make your attacker go away if he’s out to rape you.
Rape is a very personal form of attack and a rapist might be more specific about whom he wants as his victim. As a result, he is more determined to overpower them, even if they fight back or make a fuss.
The approach of a rapist might be quite different as well. Although they might attack by surprise in the street, in many cases they make use of charm or pity to coax their victims away from safety. In the majority of cases, the rapist knows the victim, who might allow them into their personal space in good faith.
All of these are examples of points that would be specifically addressed in a women’s self-defense class, whereas, in a co-ed class they might not receive much attention.
Best Women’s Self-Defense Weapon to Carry in a Handbag
Yes, we know now that men’s and women’s self-defense classes should be different, but let’s take a close look at what should be in your handbag to protect you. A good handbag weapon should be legal, safe to stow in the bag, and easy to locate and operate.
- Guns have the apparent advantage of allowing you to defend yourself without having to get close to your attacker. Try to find a handbag that’s designed to carry a gun.
- Stun guns are small enough to carry without inconvenience. The good ones deliver a serious jolt and they’re non-lethal, so no risk of accidental death.
- Pepper spray is also an excellent deterrent, lightweight and non-lethal, but a more affordable option than some of the high-tech weapons.
- The keychain alarm is basically the modern version of a whistle. It requires less effort to operate and makes a much louder noise. The racket will put off most opportunistic criminals.
- Self-defense keychains protect one or more fingers when punching, as well as extend a sharp edge out from your fist, kind of like a little claw or brass knuckle.
Further Weapons Disguised As Everyday Objects
It might spoil a date if your beau realizes you’re packing a weapon. There’s no shortage of 007 style gadgets that can serve as weapons while masquerading as standard handbag contents, sometimes even retaining their cover function.
- Keys, key chains, and bottle openers can disguise anything from brass knuckles to pepper spray and knives.
- Even small items of jewelry like rings can conceal weapons – pepper spray and brass knuckles can both be disguised in rings. Pendants are big enough to fit knives in.
- Lipstick and pens are popular disguises. Knives, pepper spray, stun guns, and even guns all come in this format.
- Guns, stun guns and knives disguised as flashlights can help you find your way around in the dark too.
- Walking sticks and umbrellas are used to disguise swords, guns, and stun guns. A brass knuckle handle can also be incorporated into an umbrella or the peak of a cap.
How Can A Woman Defend Herself With Everyday Objects?
You might not want to carry a weapon on you or you might not be able to get to it when you need it. Improvise. Anything with a sharp edge or a bit of weight on it can serve as a weapon. Remember that it is very important to try to stay calm even though it’s easier said than done, having a plan of action helps to stabilize your nervousness.
Watch this short funny clip of Jacky Chan cleverly using everyday objects instead of always fighting:
Apart from using these everyday objects, if you find yourself empty-handed, here are some bare-handed techniques you can pull out to make your quick escape.
Now that you know what everyday items you can use for self-defense and what the scary statistics are, it’s the perfect time to take a look at some effective self-defense moves that you can use to keep yourself safe…
12 Sneaky Bare-Handed Self-Defense Moves Women Can Use For A Quick Escape
Your best defense is to get out of there as quickly as possible, but if your attacker is already at close quarters you might need to land a quick assault to give yourself space and time to do so. There is no substitute for regular self-defense classes, but in case that’s not an option for you, there are a few tried and tested moves that you’d do well to remember if you are ever attacked.
- Groin kick. Kick, knee, punch, bite or pinch. I’ve never seen a man who wasn’t momentarily paralyzed by a shot to his jewels.
- Knee kick. Even the least athletic of us can manage this one pretty well! If you want to knock him off his feet, make sure to kick from the side.
- Eye Gouge. If you’re too panicked to aim your fingers for a proper gouge, scratch, punch, or whatever you can to make him recoil in pain and ideally lose his vision for a moment.
- Nose and throat. Use the heel of your hand to smash into the base of their nose or their Adam’s apple with as much force as possible.
- Vagus nerve. Just below the ear on the neck, a sharp blow to this spot should send your attacker into spasms, possibly even rendering him unconscious.
- Ears. Pulling them will make your attacker pull away from you, slapping them with a cupped hand can knock him off balance.
- Bite. An age-old dirty trick to do whatever it takes to win or get away. If Mike Tyson did it in a boxing match, no reason we can’t have this unfair advantage. Whatever you can sink your teeth in, lock that jaw, and don’t let go while you double up with your hands to cause more damage while your attacker is under excruciating pain from your bite (take caution if you break the skin and are exposed to blood.
- Claw. If you have long or short nails, use them to cause some damage.
- Head–butt. The legendary French soccer player Zidane showed the world how to do this with crazy impact.
- Elbow. If you’re already too close for comfort with your attacker, this serves as a great upward or downward God-made weapon. Aim for the nose!
- Glasses. If the attacker wears glasses, aim to impair vision by a strong palm strike into their glasses intending to break it and hurt at the same time.
- Unexpected Attack. A sneaky psychological mind game and simple technique that worked for me was to trick the attacker into believing that you’ve surrendered or run away (this drops their guard) only to stop dead, turn around and unleash a sudden explosion of attacks to the facial soft tissue – nose, eyes, throat.
Basically, do what it takes to break out in the initial stages – that is crucial. Do what you can. Pull ears, nose, lips, cheeks or anything goes!
The Best Self-Defense Weapon For A Woman
I’m not sure that it’s possible to generalize about weapons that are better suited for women. Strength is not really going to affect your weapon choice. Rather base that on your confidence and ability to use it. If you’ve never had a day’s close contact training, you might do best to pick a weapon that doesn’t require you to get in close to your attacker.
Whatever weapon you choose you should be familiar with and confident about using, or it might end up being used against you. Make sure to find out about weapons laws in your area before you decide on a purchase.
I’m not a big fan of guns. Unless you have the fastest hands in the west, it’s probably going to take longer for you to find it in your handbag, unlock the safety, aim and pull the trigger than it is for your attacker to get in close enough to restrain you. At which point you’ve just given him a gun.
My two best picks for self-defense weapons are stun guns and pepper spray. Both can be used without getting right up in your attacker’s face and neither will kill you if it ends up being used against you.
Last Word
All in all, there’s a lot to be said about attending a women’s self-defense course. Although I would recommend that if you intend on making your self-defense training a long-term commitment that you consider a co-ed class, I also believe that familiarizing yourself with strategies specific to women is a great way to complement fight training. It’s also a great idea to familiarize yourself with the items that are in your handbag right now and get to know how you can use these items effectively to defend yourself, if you find yourself in such an unfortunate situation. Everything around you is a weapon – you just have to start thinking along those lines.
