Let’s face it. We live in a dangerous world. There are many predators and criminals out there who are not above hurting others to get what they want.
Unfortunately, women have always paid the price. As a mum, you want to do everything in your power to protect yourself and your loved ones.
Especially if you regularly frequent problem areas which are notorious for criminal activity. Here are some self-defense tips that every mother should know.
7 Ways to Protect Yourself
Follow your Gut
Always trust your intuition. If your Spidey-senses are telling you to avoid that alley, or not get into the elevator, or to walk a little quicker, do it.
Even if it may seem unnecessary and silly in retrospect.
Sometimes our mind has a way of warning us of potential dangers from all the peripheral stimuli that we receive subconsciously.
Some of those warnings may end up being false alarms. But as the saying goes, better be safe than sorry.
Avoid Sketchy Areas
Prevention is better than cure. So if you can absolutely avoid parking in problem areas, then do so.
When going to unfamiliar places, park where there are plenty of people passing by.
This will reduce your likelihood of encountering an attacker since they will usually target lone victims.
The truth is it’s far easier to get robbed or assaulted if you’re a women walking alone down the street than if you were a man.
It’s sad that the world has become such an unsafe place for women but that’s the reality. We must do what we can to protect ourselves.
Invest in a Weapon
Now this doesn’t necessarily have to be guns, knives or tasers.
There are plenty of non-lethal weapons that you can carry inconspicuously on your person. Pepper sprays, pens, keys, rings and even nail files.
These are all relatively inexpensive items that you can get from your local convenience store.
If you’re by yourself in a sketchy area of town, take out your weapon and conceal it in your hand.
This way you won’t fumble around in your purse for it.
Keep an Eye Out
Beware of potential attackers lurking where they can’t be seen.
Parking lobbies for instance offer plenty of places to hide. So do alleyways and bushes.
Always look under your car, behind concrete columns and other areas where someone could be hiding.
Similarly, always be aware of people following you from behind.
It’s important to always be aware of your surroundings when you’re in a sketchy area. You never know who’s waiting for you.
Learn Some Basic Moves
Aside from enrolling in an actual martial arts class, you can learn some pretty basic self-defense moves right in the comfort of your home.
There are plenty of website and books that you can purchase that will give you low-down on some basic self-defense moves.
Some popular ones include the heel-palm strike, the eye strike, the elbow straight punch, the low elbow, the bear hug escape, and the hammer strike.
These require virtually no martial arts experience and can be mastered by any beginner. You just need to practice a lot to master them.
Make a Run for It
If you doubt your own ability to fight back, then try your best to outrun your attacker.
If you live, work or frequent sketchy areas, then it’s best to always wear sensible shoes and to stay in shape.
But even when running be careful of your surroundings. Traffic for instance won’t stop just because you’re being chased by an attacker.
Also try running towards a heavily crowded area if there any. Avoid going into alleys where you may just end up getting cornered.
Attack the Vulnerable Spots
Sometimes you may not have time to escape. This is the moment you have to engage in some close combat.
When confronted by an attacker head-on, be sure to attack in the critical places like the eyes, throat and knees.
Make use of one of the moves mentioned earlier like the heel-palm strike, or the elbow straight punch.
Assuming your attacker is male, the groin is another good area to strike.
When you in these areas will quickly incapacitate your attacker, allowing you plenty of time to escape.
Protecting Yourself
Not many people think about self-defense until it happens to them.
But then again, we often like to think that we live in a safe and protected community. But this may not be the case for many mums.
Those who either work in places with a high crime rate, or those who tend to stay back late into the night.
It’s also important to learn to defend yourself if you’re regularly with your kids.
This gives them a better chance of survival if they’re with someone who can fight back.
Whatever the case may be, keep these self-defense tips in mind the next time you’re in a sketchy area. They may just save your life.
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