Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site mit-eddie.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!ihnp4!mit-eddie!barry From: barry@mit-eddie.UUCP (Mikki Barry) Newsgroups: net.women Subject: Re: Self Defense (long, but interesting) Message-ID: <3392@mit-eddie.UUCP> Date: Sun, 6-Jan-85 12:48:47 EST Article-I.D.: mit-eddi.3392 Posted: Sun Jan 6 12:48:47 1985 Date-Received: Mon, 7-Jan-85 03:32:09 EST References: <191@usl.UUCP> Organization: MIT, Cambridge, MA Lines: 107 From (barry!mit-eddie) >The question of how much force to apply in a threatening situa- >tion is something of a sticky issue for martial artists. Basi- >cally, the better you are, the more options you have and the more >control you have over how much damage you do to the other guy. >Beginners have not the time nor experience, I think, to execute >'good judgement.' For them it's more of a binary question-- >either do something or be a victim. For a trained fighter >though, a decision must me made as to how much damage to inflict >to an attacker. You are quite correct. This has long been a dilema for martial artists. Especially for women martial artists. Women have long been trained not to do physical damage to others, and martial arts is a complete "re-training" in a physical power women are not used to having. Unfortunately, when a beginning woman martial artist is faced with an attacker, many times the "programmed" response is to do nothing because of a lack of confidence in this newfound physical power. Or worse, to half hartedly do something, which aggravates the situation and causes more harm to come to the victim. >Of course such factors as severity of the attack, etc. must be >taken into account, but there seem to be two flavors of trained >response. The old world response (a la Funakoshi) is to do the >minimum neccessary to neutralize the attack and then run away. I >have only read about this approach, however. Without exception, >instructors I have know have advocated incapacitating the as- >sailent, using the argument that if you merely stop the guy and >start to run away he may pull out a gun and shoot you in the >back. There are of course problems with this approach also (suc >has being charged with manslaughter), and it does seem overly ex- >cessive. My feeling is that the circumstances should dictate the >response, with maybe a tendency toward more force since it's >safer to overestimate the capabilities of the attacker than to >underestimate them. There is also another problem to the "minimum necessary" response. If the minimum necessary to subdue an attacker causes them permanent physical damage, the attacker has been known to sue the victim on the grounds that the attacker "wasn't really going to hurt her, much". The worst part about this is that in some cases, the attacker has won. I am not stating that one should kill anyone that poses a physical threat (there would not be many men left in the world since most of them can pose a physical threat just by existing), but there are many more factors than "to fight, or not to fight" which come into play here. Unfortunately, if a martial artist is having to take the time to think of where to hit, how hard, and what will the long-term consequences be, by that time, it may be too late. >This brings up another comment, which is that many, many people >seem to be carrying guns these days (the "great equalizer") which >tends to render less and less practical martial arts training. >However, I suspect that for women this may be different as >would-be rapists would not oft use a gun (any stats on this?). >Hence I feel that women would and do benefit from either martial >arts or self-defense training. The trick is to find a good in- >structor. (I have also heard that in the great majority of rape >cases, strenuous resistence on the part of the women would have >deterred the rapist. Some of my friends have argued that this >would merely bring about further harm to the women. I would be >interested to hear comments and/or statitstics on this.) The statistics I have been quoted (by my chief instructor) are that most rapes occur without a weapon involved. Also that strenuous resistance WILL deter 90% of all rapes. The rapist is looking for terror and degradation, and if the victim doesn't show either of these, usually, the rapist will go look for "easier prey". However, it is the other 10% that have to be worried about. It is a judgement call. There are no clear cut answers. In the vast majority of cases, strenuous resistence will work. But the most important point to make is that it must be STRENUOUS RESISTENCE. Half hearted kicks or punches may only serve to make the rapist much more angry, and cause much more harm than good. >I have know a couple of women who resorted to carrying guns as a >means of rape deterrent. I am not sure I agree with this, but I >can certainly understand their motivation. If the woman is prepared to use the gun, it is a great deterrent. However, if she is only carrying it with the idea that the mere sight of a gun will deter rape, it may do much more damage than deterrence. She should also be well trained in its use and be a relatively accurate shot. >One last comment I'd like to make is in support of the martial >arts for women. Some one on the net (with regard to the street- >crossing issue) brought up the question of female/male equality >in terms of strength. Well, the martial arts are a valid means >of balancing out this difference between the sexes. Or at least it takes away one male advantage...the physical one. It also brings about a great self confidence, and a greater resistance to intimidation. Furthermore, the knowledge that you can do major damage to the idiot giving you a hassle at the bar eases the degradation of his action, even if you do nothing in retaliation. And that is a great comfort. The last thing I'd like to mention in regards to women in martial arts, is that you most probably won't see bands of black belt women roaming the streets looking to beat up would be rapists, etc. As one progresses in the martial arts, the more one is aware that there are many, many people out there that are much better than you are. You also become aware of the damage that can be inflicted on another, and that the same damage can also be inflicted upon you. It tends to make you more cautious instead of less. That caution also extends to doing your utmost to prevent attacks before they become attacks. Many schools train women in avoidance techniques, which can be MORE important than learning how to damage someone after the attack occurs. If more women found well rounded self defense programs that train not only in physical self defense, but avoidance techniques (and in some cases, assertiveness training... helping someone stand up to an attacker verbally, so perhaps another target will be looked for), there would be fewer attacks.