Although there is so much talk going on about female empowerment, in practice very little is actually done to keep women safe. Thus, knowing about self-defense is very essential for women in India. While you may not be able to decipher its importance now, self-defense can prove to be very helpful if used judiciously. Educating and enlightening women in this regard is absolutely essential.
You never know what lurks behind quiet and empty roads, waiting to ambush you. It’s highly advisable to take busy crowded streets and public places. Even if you are meeting a stranger for the first time, you do it in a public restaurant or a movie theatre may be? Regular everyday objects can be of tremendous help in desperate situations like keys, pens, hair clips etc. Keep them handy and use them to strike someone in case of an attack as hard as you can. It’s also safe to carry a bottle of pepper spray.
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Mr Pradeep Negi, founder of Negis –The School Of Martial Arts, says, “There are three kinds of victims prone to be attacked. First, people who are not alert or focused or out of their minds; second, people who are not fit or are weak physically, third, people who are away from the crowd. So, alertness is very essential, and that is most important lesson we can learn from Martial arts. Also, in order to defend yourself you need to be fit and have to have the stamina to defend yourself, otherwise, any kind of self-defense technique will become futile. Martial arts also teach us to handle any situation confidently without being afraid.”
Mr. Negi also explained how women with no formal training in self-defense techniques can defend themselves in any situation. “We call these soft skills in martial arts. Even if you are confronted with a strong person, with some soft skills, you can bring them down. You can use things that you carry in your bag or your nails as your weapons. However, the basic things required are to be fit, confident and alert!” says Mr. Negi
“Martial arts or any other self-defense technique is applied to react to something. There is nothing pre-planned/predictable. So it is very essential for women to differentiate between a good touch and a bad touch. Being aware and bold in any surrounding is the foremost technique. So, even if you are not trained in martial arts, in any dire situation, you should be able to analyze, be calm and react to the situation without panicking.” says Nagaraj Lakshminarayana, Karate Sensei 3rd Dan Black Belt.
There are help lines for women while travelling in a metro or other public transport that will come in handy at a drastic moment of crisis. Make sure you are aware of these and other organizations in your locality that can help you in case of an emergency. Almost all mobile phones enable you to share your location with people. With technology at your disposal and the presence of mind, you don’t need to worry about anything. Together, let’s make the world a safer place for women.
