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It is never advisable for a woman to attempt to disarm a man with a knife, but sometimes the circumstances are thrust upon you, says author Yelena Pawela. |
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Recommended Equipment
One of my favorite knives is Benchmade’s McHenry & Williams Model 710. It’s usually priced under $125, so if I lose it or it’s confiscated, I can replace it with little heartache. Another unit I like is the Cold Steel Recon 1, which lists for approximately the same price.
When it comes to handguns, I recommend that my students consider the Smith & Wesson Model 3913 and the Glock Model 19. Women just seem to prefer them over other models. When choosing the caliber of your weapon, think .38 Special or 9mm because of their manageable recoil. If you are physically capable of handling the more powerful .357 Sig, .40 S&W or .45 ACP, all the better.
For carrying your firearm concealed, I recommend a crossdraw holster or a shoulder holster. Check out the product line at Andrew’s Leather and Mitch Rosen Leather. If you want to carry a gun in your handbag, check out Athena’s line of purses. They were designed by an undercover police officer who happens to be a woman.
My choice in dogs includes the Belgian Malinois, German shepherd and Doberman. Just as important, however, is the quality of the breeding. The best way to ensure you get a good one is to acquire your dog from a reputable breeder. —Y.P.
The Worst Case Study
Several years ago, five men tried to sexually assault a woman. Two of them sustained dislocated knees, and one started bleeding profusely after a large chunk of flesh was torn from his femoral artery. The woman was seriously wounded when one of the men plunged a knife into her rib cage. At the time, she did not even know she had been stabbed. Once the men had left, the outflow of blood and her near-semiconscious state made her realize that she had been stabbed. I know this case well because that woman was me.
Please don’t take my reporting of this incident out of context. I am not claiming it qualifies me as a military commando or a female Bruce Lee. The only point I wish to make is that just because a woman is stabbed or slashed, the conflict is not necessarily over. You must fight back even if the odds are overwhelming, and you can win. —Y.P. | As a woman who runs a company dedicated to teaching other women how to survive in adverse situations, I’m often asked, “What’s the most practical way to protect myself?” That’s usually followed by, “What’s the most realistic method of self-defense?” and “What’s the best weapon?”
I usually respond with a question of my own: “How serious are you?” That’s because the answer to my question determines the answer to theirs.
If you’re a woman who’s truly serious about self-defense, you have your work cut out for you. As you perform everyday tasks, you have to plan to preserve your own existence should a bad situation arise. I know because I’ve undergone numerous forms of adversarial survival training for more than half my life. My experience includes having studied under Russian and U.S. Special Forces hand-to-hand combat instructors, as well as having received intensive instruction in Krav Maga, jeet kune do, kali and jujutsu. I’m also a certified rape-prevention instructor.
My first recommendation is short and sweet—and controversial: If at all possible, don’t fight with just your bare hands. I have, and it’s not easy.
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In unarmed combat, men usually have the advantage because of their size and strength, but women can gain the upper hand if they develop the right mind-set and physical skills, says Yelena Pawela | Men are usually taller, stronger and faster, and they will normally outweigh you by 20 pounds or more. Too many martial arts instructors claim they can teach you how to render any man helpless with a few precise moves. Don’t believe it. Your chances of succeeding are 50/50 at best. The bigger he is, the greater your disadvantage. To triumph, you should opt for a different approach—one that does not involve exchanging blows toe-to-toe.
MIND GAMES
The first thing you need to do is win the mind-set confrontation. Accept that you might be badly injured or worse, but be willing to survive no matter what. Think of self-defense as “street combat” and yourself as a “street soldier.” Soldiering is about winning at all costs, including fighting to the death if necessary. If you think that’s far-fetched, consider that most women would gladly give their lives to protect their children. Even if you aren’t a mother, the maternal instinct is built into you.
That’s why it makes sense to prepare yourself to be a street soldier or, better yet, a bodyguard. The only way to ensure your ability to control the situation and make yourself a survivor is through hard, realistic training, not some feel-good program based on wishful thinking.
To ready yourself for hand-to-hand combat without a weapon, you should attend a full-contact scenario-based course. In it, you’ll fight a mock opponent as he assaults you. The key to success involves learning how to use your adrenaline, which can give you increased strength and awareness. You’ll also learn the real-life progression: fear (which is completely normal) to anger (that your assailant has the audacity to try to harm you) to immediate engagement (if you have been trained properly).
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All women should learn a few good empty-hand techniques drawn from one of the reality-based martial arts and couple them with scenario-based training, the author advises. | Now you must focus on a plan that will afford you some sort of equality in a situation that is not equal in the first place. Your bigger, stronger assailant will expect you to be easy to overpower, so you must respond with superior force. That equates to using weapons that can inflict serious injury or death. They include the most vicious kicks, punches, elbow strikes, knee thrusts, eye gouges and bites in the martial arts. There’s no other simple solution because aggressors can be defeated only by greater aggression. But you should fight with your empty hands only when you have no weapon, and as a serious student of self-defense, you should never be without a weapon. The following are the three categories I recommend:
SHARPENED STEEL
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Studies have shown that even male soldiers hesitate before bayoneting the enemy. Consequently, civilians can be expected to face difficulties during a close-quarters knife fight. | Folding knives became popular when manufacturers started making them user-friendly by including a hole or stud on the blade to facilitate onehanded opening. They were also made easier to carry when designers added a clip to permit attachment to a pocket or belt. Male self-defense instructors hail these tactical folders as a superpractical method of turning the tables on an attacker, but I believe they should be considered a last resort for a number of reasons.
First, is it legal to carry a knife where you live? If the answer is no, it’s not even an option. Second, is your knife large enough for you to be able to handle it under stress? It’s one thing to have it clipped to your pocket, but it’s another to get it out and open in the heat of battle. Third, and most important, do you have the fortitude to use it at extreme close range? Most studies of conflict show that even combat-hardened soldiers have problems bayoneting their enemy. I’m not saying that under the direst of circumstances, you won’t be able to accomplish your objective; it’s just not as easy as some teachers would have you believe. When buying a knife, consider the following guidelines:
• The blade should be no longer than 4 inches.
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Weapons are important for any woman who is concerned about her personal safety. If a conventional one is not available, search for a way to improvise one. |
• The blade should have a plain edge (no serrations).
• The blade should have a clip point.
• The knife should have a strong locking mechanism.
• The knife should have a reversible clip (if you’re left-handed).
• The knife should be comfortable in your hand.
• The knife should be reasonably priced (under $125).
The reasoning behind these recommendations is as follows: A 4-inchlong blade is the legal limit in most areas (but check your local laws anyway). While serrated and partially serrated blades are popular with knife aficionados, using them in self-defense would give a prosecutor a field day.
Ditto for the tanto and spear points.
FIREPOWER
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Despite facing a woman armed with a knife or gun, a hardened criminal might still decide to attack, Yelena Pawela (right) says. That’s why she recommends getting a dog for selfdefense. | Your next option is a handgun. A lot of women hate guns, but that doesn’t make sense for serious self-defense. I’ve interviewed many women who were brutalized, and I bet they all wished they’d had a gun to stop their attackers. Unfortunately, most people choose to believe in the utility of a firearm only after they have endured a lifethreatening situation.
If you decide to acquire a firearm, get some training. First should be a basic course that covers safe handling, storage, marksmanship, maintenance and legal issues. Second should be a course that deals with a realistic approach to using the weapon under stress. Too many instructors spend their time and yours trying to replicate the training undergone by law-enforcement or military personnel. They end up teaching you to engage when you should retreat.
Realistic training should involve negotiating with a hostile subject and discerning the proper course of action in shoot-don’t-shoot scenarios in which the assailant can fire at you. It should also include learning how to use cover, deal with multiple assailants, shoot with your weak hand, reload under stress and detain a suspect until the police arrive—all under simulated stress. These lessons are best learned from a qualified instructor who knows how to employ paintball guns safely and efficiently.
DEFENSIVE DOGS
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The author’s No. 1 recommendation for serious self-defense is the personal protection canine. | The last weapon I recommend is the personal-protection canine, which is the best choice of all. The reason is simple: The greater the distance you can keep between yourself and your assailant, the better. A hardened criminal may see you pull a knife or gun and decide to assault you anyway, but chances are, he will be afraid of a dog, especially one that looks and sounds like it will bite.
Even though some macho men claim they know how to defeat a dog that is attacking, it’s usually no more than theory. A properly trained canine has the speed and strength to overcome a criminal’s defenses, especially at night. And it will be a loyal companion that is constantly on alert status. Be forewarned: Buying and training a dog can be expensive. If you decide to take the plunge, conduct some research to determine which breed is best for your situation.
BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY
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One of the benefits of owning a dog involves having a readily available makeshift weapon in the form of the leash. Yelena Pawela demonstrates how a heavy-duty leather model can be folded and wrapped into a tight package (1-2) and used to strike an adversary (3). | You may be thinking that carrying a knife, packing heat and owning a guard dog represent too much of an inconvenience. If so, perhaps you should review the following statistics regarding life in the United States:
• 87 percent of the population will be a victim of crime three or more times in their life.
• 78 rapes occur every hour.
• One murder occurs every 21 minutes.
• One robbery takes place every 55 seconds.
• One aggravated assault happens every 33 seconds.
• One violent crime is committed every 17 seconds.
Life is a constant battle. To survive, you must be prepared to win at all costs. The terrible reality of assault can ravage the soul of the victim. If you survive, you will relive the aftermath in your memories and nightmares for years to come. Preventing the crime from being committed in the first place—no matter what it takes—would seem to be a superior strategy.
| Yelena Pawela About the author: Yelena Pawela is a free-lance writer and personal-protection instructor based in Florida. To contact her, send e-mail to Yappdogs@aol.com |
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