It is estimated that over 1.9 million women get assaulted every year in the U.S. That means that every few seconds, a woman is assaulted. By the time you are finished reading this article, several women around the country will have been assaulted. When I heard these facts while sitting in the S.A.F.E. (Self-defense Awareness and Familiarity Exchange) class held by the University of Florida Police Department (UFPD), I was in shock. I was also terrified. There are not many places you can go as a woman without worrying about falling prey to someone with harmful intentions. The S.A.F.E. class taught us that there are three things that need to be present for an attack to occur, and those are ability, desire and opportunity. While we cannot control the ability of someone else or their desire to harm us, we can have some control over giving them the opportunity. For example, someone with both the ability and the desire to steal from you will likely not be able to if you do not leave your items unattended. Some measures we can take to limit the opportunity for attack are to always be aware of our surroundings, carry protective measures (pepper spray, pocketknife, taser, etc.) and make sure our valuables are locked away and concealed.
This two-hour classroom course then went on to inform us about being familiar with any protective weapon we decide to carry, how best to use them as well as the safest way to carry them. The two officers who led the course told us about their experiences with being both pepper-sprayed and tasered and told us that pepper spray (when used correctly) is much worse than being tasered. After the discourse on weaponry and how to use those to protect ourselves, we got to the fun part. We were shown how to effectively physically defend ourselves and get out of a few positions meant to trap us. We went through these combinations and practiced on the bags. We learned about a warning stance and that it is proven that when we are louder and more vocal, we are stronger. It is important to be vocal and loud to not only give yourself more strength but to also alert those around you and to ward off the predator. The first couple rounds of practice, our kicks and punches felt a little silly, especially when we were told to yell, “No! Stay back! Get away!” but after a few rounds, I felt the energy in the room change, and we were all putting on our A-game. I was sitting in a room full of badass women, all being taught how to defend ourselves against predators. For a moment, I felt a bit sad that it was even necessary for us to take these kinds of classes. Why should we be taught how to defend ourselves when men don’t have classes to teach them how to control themselves? But then, I felt empowered and knew I had all the tools I would need to not let any such event happen to me, and even if I were attacked, I was certain I would be able to get out of it safely.
I would encourage all women to take this class because not only was it educational, but it was also very empowering. I left the room feeling strong. I left the room feeling powerful and if anybody dared to touch me, I would make them regret it. UFPD currently offers this class as well as more in depth-courses. It is important to know how to defend yourself as well as be able to recognize the signs before an attack is going to happen, especially with the frequency that these things happen. You can never be too prepared or knowledgeable, and one day this information may have the potential to save your life.