Earlier this month, four students were robbed at gunpoint just a couple streets from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication’s downtown campus. While the students left the encounter scared, shaken up and shocked, they luckily left unharmed.
However, not everyone can be as fortunate as these students, and not all situations end so smoothly. Being safe and knowing how to protect yourself is so important for us girls. Her Campus caught up with an expert in self-defense to get some of his advice on being proactive and safe, on and off campus. Mike Hayashi, who has a masters’ in education and specializes in self-defense, is passionate about this subject.
He said there are four questions you should always ask yourself about your own security…
Are you worth fighting for?
“The automatic response is yes of course I am worth fighting for… I always tell people you could fight for other people, your best friend, your grandmother, your niece: it’s a reflex. But when it comes down to us… there is that moment of hesitation. Some people hesitate because they don’t have the answer right up front.”
Are you a target?
“Distraction kills. Be honest with yourself. Are you walking around on your phone, texting someone, tweeting, on Facebook? You’re a target because if this person wants your purse or you, you never see them coming. We are always thinking its not gonna happen to me… well it does.”
Have you ever been trained in self-defense?
“If not, why? And if you have been trained, what did you master? Is there one technique if someone puts their hands on you and tries to take you somewhere, what could you do to this person?”
How often are you at risk?
“How often am I alone or isolated? How often do I go out at night? How often do I go on a first date? You don’t know this guy… you should be weary about that. Are you in a public place? Do your friends know where you are? Is he picking you up at your place… because now he knows where you live.”
Mike’s words are questions every young women should be asking themselves everyday, because as much as we don’t think something will happen to us…it can, and it does.
Her Campus encourages women to be safe, smart, and informed on their own safety.