Personal safety is something that should never be taken lightly. That point, along with specific techniques designed to afford enhanced personal safety, were driven home Oct. 28 in a self-defense class taught by Fayetteville Police Lt. Debbie Chambers and assisted by Detective Melissa Peacock.

The two-hour course was filled with tips, practical applications and demonstrations geared to bolster the awareness and confidence of the nearly 40 women and teens in attendance. The course covered safety tips for shopping, children, home, vehicle and neighborhood security and personal survival.

“If you ever become a victim, what you learn tonight will probably save your life,” Chambers said at the outset, noting that people usually either fight back, run away or freeze when becoming victimized.

“One of the biggest problems is a lack of awareness of our surroundings,” Chambers said, identifying safety concerns while shopping, especially at times such as the upcoming holiday season.

“We miss Mr. Bad Guy. And our distractions will only increase as the holiday season continues. Going across the parking lot to go into or come out of the store, we’re talking on the phone or looking for our keys or trying to remember where we left the car. We’re concentrating on those things but not on Mr. Bad Guy. But you can be sure he’s concentrating on us.”

Throughout the evening, Chambers repeated a number of key points to consider when in the community:

• Do not shop late at night without a second person present, during the holidays or any time.

• Trust your instincts if something does not feel right in the parking lot.

• Look people in the eye; it says you might be able to identify them.

• Looking down and looking away “looks” scared.

• Be confident, not cocky.

• Park under lights at night.

• Park as close to the store as possible.

• The first 60 seconds of an attack are crucial. Use them to your advantage.

• The more self-assured a person is, the less likely he or she will be a victim of an attack.

• Never forget that you are stronger than you think.

• It is okay to hurt someone if it is in self-defense. Strike out with force and hit with intention. The bad guy is not going to care if he hurts you.

• If there is a hold-up, go the other way.

• Avoid leaving your children unattended or alone in a car.

• And no matter what, always be thinking and always have a plan.

“If you have a plan you won’t freeze. You should have a plan for shopping, for home, while in your car. And you need to make sure your kids know the plan,” Chambers said, having restated that necessity several times during the training session.

“And if you’re ever attacked, don’t yell, ‘Help.’ Yell, ‘Fire,’ because people always want to see a fire and it causes people to look. Then they become witnesses to you being attacked. And that’s something Mr. Bad Guy doesn’t want.”

Later in the session Chambers and Peacock demonstrated several moves designed to fend of an attacker. The two officers showed how victims could use fingers, fists, wrists, elbows, forearms, knees and especially feet to ward off an attack.

login to post comments