Options for Personal Self-Protection
Women’s self-defense training is about creating experiences that increase the number of viable options if violently and suddenly attacked. The goal of the Model Mugging Self-Defense program is to develop realistic and effective options in students if the were faced with danger. One aspect of a comprehensive self-defense program teaches women how to apply general options during any of the four phases of an assault. Realistic options will be based on understanding the context and dynamics of the types of crimes from which seeking skills and techniques for effective countermeasures.
Realistic Self-Defense Options
Model Mugging student assessing options during reality based self-defense scenario.
Which option is best is dependent on many factors and variables. No one is invincible no matter how much training and experience they have. However the greater training and experience better prepares against fluid and threatening adversity. Methodically applying the Five Principles of Self-Defense determines most of the risks women face against potential threats such as rape, dating violence, intimate partner abuse, and stalking as well as other crimes. Other crimes can also be dealt with more effectively and safely through assertiveness developed through self-confidence gained from fighting experience. Overall more realistic options can be employed based on the research conducted by instructors of Model Mugging Self-Defense.
Success is when Model Mugging graduates can more realistically and accurately assess changing situations and determine what options better suit a their given situation. Within the context of sexual assault, graduates learn the strategies and tactics to counter criminal aggression. Contextual knowledge is an important facet of selecting realistic options and then progresses into most effectively applying the options in the conditions that women are commonly confronted.
Teaching women to escape as their primary physical defense objective is not always a viable option and resisting in order to escape can increase the danger of great bodily harm. There may be situations when women can’t always escape whereby individual and situational factors require different options such as substantial isolation or situations involving intimate partner abuse and stalking. Also beware of instruction encouraging women to assume a combative or martial arts stance may be provoking to a male already prone to inflicting violence on women. These methods were proven ineffective in 1971 through crime research with the evolution of martial science.
Other times surrendering maybe the best option for survival. Fighting back to incapacitate an assailant provides many more options than trying to resist in order to escape. The full force fighting experiences gained from fighting the padded assailant in reality based self-defense scenarios also enhances de-escalation and boundary setting skills with verbal negotiation strategies.
Understanding Viable Self-Defense Options
Model Mugging student applies self-defense option during reality based self-defense scenario – continued from scenario shown in picture above.
Model Mugging Self-defense provides women with experiences and practice in applying the full spectrum of options. Model Mugging was the first in providing women with safe and full force realistic training. Model Mugging Self-Defense also provides women with a thorough understanding of the contexts from which women commonly face in the Five Principles of Self-Defense ©. Thereby students understand the dynamics of crimes against women and can better identify potential options to enhance survival. Model Mugging graduates have also been able to apply their skills to stay calmer and focused when in danger with other stressful situations.
Proper training using a padded assailant is only one part of the needed training dynamics. In addition to the progressive development of physical skills require the realistic assessment of the conditions one may face if attacked. The combination of understanding options allows for the better deployment or application of skills for survival.
There are not any guarantees, but there are options for self-defense and personal safety. Learning why and how to counterattack is just as important as learning how to physically counterattack.
Return to Choices in Self-Defense for more suggestions.