Below is an article by Phil Thompson which appeared in the latest TKD Talk magazine. :-)
Showing posts with label Darcy Mellsop. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Darcy Mellsop. Show all posts
Friday, June 21, 2013
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Darcy's Column: "Going Training"
How many of us invest in some self defence training
for ourselves and our families? Perhaps not many – it doesn’t (yet) seem as
mainstream as getting your first aid certificate. Consider that violence is
like car accidents: totally unplanned events, can have devastating consequences
and affects most of us at some stage in our lives.
Proper training doesn’t need to take months or weeks.
You can have extremely effective training within a full day, as long as you
know what to look for, so let me provide you with some tips.
Most importantly, a self defence course should be about lifting your
belief system – an event where you discover and prove to yourself what you are
capable of. Ask the provider how their training will definitely lift your
capability. Ask also what the training covers. Proper training will cover all
the elements of self defence: Avoidance, Defusion, Physical response and Post
event issues including the law.
Though the training has to be
“real” that doesn’t mean forsaking safety, both physically and emotionally. You
have to be assured that you will be safe and have full control while you are
training.
Ask about the types of physical
techniques taught. Techniques which are so complicated that can’t be remembered
in a week are useless. I’d have serious doubts if words such as: Wrist/arm
locks, blocks, pressure points and throws were used to describe the techniques.
Importantly, do some research on
the Instructor. Try to determine that they will be someone who’ll make it a
great days training for you.
Darcy Mellsop
Protect Self Defence NZ
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Column 41 – "Reading violence"
Self defence is about being able to interpret, understand and protect ourselves from violence.
For too many, violence is used as their medium of communication. Like not being able to speak French we'd struggle in France; not understanding violence means that we'd miss vital pre-incident indicators that are present in all situations that lead to physical violence. Only when we understand violence can we see and comprehend the early warning signs.
You can detect what you have been trained to see. It's about knowing what is about to happen and being able to pre-empt it. Anyone can learn this language. Knowing it doesn't make you more violent. Without knowing how to interpret violence and the pre-cursors of violence, we can't accurately predict intentions of predators, which means that we can't act appropriately to stop it, either with the appropriate verbal or physical response.
So let me give you some insight now. If a predator is trying to change the environment: coerce you to go somewhere, physically drag you somewhere, or establish privacy such as shutting your curtains, these acts provide massive insight into their intentions. What is their intent? To take material items from you or is it to do with your being, such as physical or sexual assault? It's far likely to be the latter. When you can detect intent (prior to the physical violence) would that fuel your response? Of course. A honed response helps, blanket hope counts for nothing. This is just one aspect, but: never ever let the environment change.
Darcy Mellsop
Protect Self Defence NZ
For too many, violence is used as their medium of communication. Like not being able to speak French we'd struggle in France; not understanding violence means that we'd miss vital pre-incident indicators that are present in all situations that lead to physical violence. Only when we understand violence can we see and comprehend the early warning signs.
You can detect what you have been trained to see. It's about knowing what is about to happen and being able to pre-empt it. Anyone can learn this language. Knowing it doesn't make you more violent. Without knowing how to interpret violence and the pre-cursors of violence, we can't accurately predict intentions of predators, which means that we can't act appropriately to stop it, either with the appropriate verbal or physical response.
So let me give you some insight now. If a predator is trying to change the environment: coerce you to go somewhere, physically drag you somewhere, or establish privacy such as shutting your curtains, these acts provide massive insight into their intentions. What is their intent? To take material items from you or is it to do with your being, such as physical or sexual assault? It's far likely to be the latter. When you can detect intent (prior to the physical violence) would that fuel your response? Of course. A honed response helps, blanket hope counts for nothing. This is just one aspect, but: never ever let the environment change.
Darcy Mellsop
Protect Self Defence NZ
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Latest Column from Darcy Mellsop - "See no evil"
"See no evil"
I was recently reading about Piha residents who have launched a campaign to remove a convicted child sex offender from their midst.
It reminded me of the same sort of incident in Kapiti recently where it was discovered that a convicted sex offender was living close to a school. I contacted the school to offer a session for the parents on what we could do to keep our kids safe, but it didn’t happen because the sex offender moved on. I didn’t contact the school for that one sex offender, I contacted the school about all the sex offenders that potentially lived near by. Commonly it’s the case of, if the known offender has moved, it’s all safe now. Those in the know, know that it’s not the case at all. There is some saying about an ostrich having its head in the sand, but I can’t remember it right now, but I’m sure you know it.
I could spend hours writing this column, but it’s important that I make this point.
I know that to many that this might sound like I’m trying to sell courses, but it’s actually about Avoidance. The key to Avoidance is consciously recognising a threat and taking effect action to avoid it.
Obviously, denial is not an effective strategy – though a much chosen strategy. It’s very quick and very easy. Job done.
Thinking that we are safe when the sex offender moves on is denial. You know the saying “I’ll believe it when I see it” well, when it comes to the protection of our kids, when it’s about things we wouldn’t do ourselves and therefore aren’t familiar with the strategies of sex offenders, it’s more like “I’ll see it when I believe it”. When you and your kids know what to look for, then you have a better chance of seeing it if it is present.
We know that we might be in a car accident, so we put on our seatbelts. Because we know that it’s possible to be in a car accident, we see things on the road that worry us – people cutting through late orange or red lights, not following the road code when giving way, aggressive drivers, those that follow to close behind, and so on. We see these threats as we know, we clearly know that they elevate the chance of a very real accident happening. That’s not denial. Also, knowing this doesn’t stop us from driving. But our acceptance of the possibility means that we can change the balance of possibility of being involved in an accident. We see a threat, and usually give a very wide berth.
Alternatively being completely unaware increases the likelihood of being in an accident – or even causing one and not knowing it.
So let’s use our energy correctly. Let’s be real so we can see reality. Let’s appreciate that most people are good, but there are many (plural) around that are dangerous.
Do not confuse the energy used to chase out of town a single convicted sex offender with the energy that is used to arm our kids with the tools to indentify when they are being scoped by any sex offender. Those energies are mutually exclusive – the former deals with perhaps an element – if they are not reformed, the latter focuses on the reality – those not yet caught.
I was recently reading about Piha residents who have launched a campaign to remove a convicted child sex offender from their midst.
It reminded me of the same sort of incident in Kapiti recently where it was discovered that a convicted sex offender was living close to a school. I contacted the school to offer a session for the parents on what we could do to keep our kids safe, but it didn’t happen because the sex offender moved on. I didn’t contact the school for that one sex offender, I contacted the school about all the sex offenders that potentially lived near by. Commonly it’s the case of, if the known offender has moved, it’s all safe now. Those in the know, know that it’s not the case at all. There is some saying about an ostrich having its head in the sand, but I can’t remember it right now, but I’m sure you know it.
I could spend hours writing this column, but it’s important that I make this point.
I know that to many that this might sound like I’m trying to sell courses, but it’s actually about Avoidance. The key to Avoidance is consciously recognising a threat and taking effect action to avoid it.
Obviously, denial is not an effective strategy – though a much chosen strategy. It’s very quick and very easy. Job done.
Thinking that we are safe when the sex offender moves on is denial. You know the saying “I’ll believe it when I see it” well, when it comes to the protection of our kids, when it’s about things we wouldn’t do ourselves and therefore aren’t familiar with the strategies of sex offenders, it’s more like “I’ll see it when I believe it”. When you and your kids know what to look for, then you have a better chance of seeing it if it is present.
We know that we might be in a car accident, so we put on our seatbelts. Because we know that it’s possible to be in a car accident, we see things on the road that worry us – people cutting through late orange or red lights, not following the road code when giving way, aggressive drivers, those that follow to close behind, and so on. We see these threats as we know, we clearly know that they elevate the chance of a very real accident happening. That’s not denial. Also, knowing this doesn’t stop us from driving. But our acceptance of the possibility means that we can change the balance of possibility of being involved in an accident. We see a threat, and usually give a very wide berth.
Alternatively being completely unaware increases the likelihood of being in an accident – or even causing one and not knowing it.
So let’s use our energy correctly. Let’s be real so we can see reality. Let’s appreciate that most people are good, but there are many (plural) around that are dangerous.
Do not confuse the energy used to chase out of town a single convicted sex offender with the energy that is used to arm our kids with the tools to indentify when they are being scoped by any sex offender. Those energies are mutually exclusive – the former deals with perhaps an element – if they are not reformed, the latter focuses on the reality – those not yet caught.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Latest Article from Darcy Mellsop - "Spiders and stuff"
"Spiders and stuff"
If a spider builds a web, and it’s not catching any bugs, the spider basically has two choices: Do nothing and learn to survive on nothing or; rebuild its web in another place.
I was talking with a friend recently, and we were talking about Avoidance and he put it to me that Avoidance is pretty common sense really, just don’t do stuff like walk down dark alleys. But is it really that simple? I mean, we know this already, and most act on this advice, but there is still a heck of a lot of violence about, so what’s going on?
If you are the bad guy waiting in the dark alley, and you are getting bored waiting as everyone is heeding the advice not to venture there, are you going to remain there or go hunting? And if you are hunting in a different environment, such as bars, clubs and streets – generally where people
are, would you use the same strategies as you would have used in the colloquial dark alley, or do the strategies change and adapt to the environment?
We know that they change. Yes, we can change the balance of probability of being in locations safer than others, but predators do roam and scope. Predators have many skills, which they train and honed, especially verbal skills such as the manipulation strategies I’ve exposed in previous columns.
Understand this, predators aren’t all around us, generally good people are - but predators are everywhere. Scoping and evaluating. Good Avoidance stems from acknowledging this.
If a spider builds a web, and it’s not catching any bugs, the spider basically has two choices: Do nothing and learn to survive on nothing or; rebuild its web in another place.
I was talking with a friend recently, and we were talking about Avoidance and he put it to me that Avoidance is pretty common sense really, just don’t do stuff like walk down dark alleys. But is it really that simple? I mean, we know this already, and most act on this advice, but there is still a heck of a lot of violence about, so what’s going on?
If you are the bad guy waiting in the dark alley, and you are getting bored waiting as everyone is heeding the advice not to venture there, are you going to remain there or go hunting? And if you are hunting in a different environment, such as bars, clubs and streets – generally where people
are, would you use the same strategies as you would have used in the colloquial dark alley, or do the strategies change and adapt to the environment?
We know that they change. Yes, we can change the balance of probability of being in locations safer than others, but predators do roam and scope. Predators have many skills, which they train and honed, especially verbal skills such as the manipulation strategies I’ve exposed in previous columns.
Understand this, predators aren’t all around us, generally good people are - but predators are everywhere. Scoping and evaluating. Good Avoidance stems from acknowledging this.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
"Let’s talk about violence" - Latest column by Darcy Mellsop
Let’s talk about violence.
I wonder if we talk enough about violence. I wonder why it isn’t main-stream conversation. We talk about other things prevalent in our society which affect us. We talk about sport, sex, politics, travel, our work, but not violence anywhere to the same degree.
When we do talk about violence, it’s usually to cover 3 things: justice (because we’ve read about something horrible that’s recently happened), what that person should have done to stop it from happening to them and what we might have done.
Is this enough to provide us valuable insight? Or are we simply picking over the bones of something that doesn’t offer us much value – talking about stuff that’s happened is reactive, we are really focusing on aftermath and also, it’s depressing stuff.
I think that we don’t have enough conversations that lead to us educating each other. Ok, so what’s the plan? Let’s share information. When we are talking about violence, talk about what we know. Talk about the things that some guy did that made us feel uncomfortable during the date and why we are not going to go out with him again. Or the time that our ego got in control of us and started to escalate a road rage incident. Challenge and discuss what you and others understand about keeping ourselves safe. Challenge, think and discuss lots. Simple. Because knowing violence, and knowing the early signs of violence, is extremely effective in reducing the balance of probability of being involved in violence.
I wonder if we talk enough about violence. I wonder why it isn’t main-stream conversation. We talk about other things prevalent in our society which affect us. We talk about sport, sex, politics, travel, our work, but not violence anywhere to the same degree.
When we do talk about violence, it’s usually to cover 3 things: justice (because we’ve read about something horrible that’s recently happened), what that person should have done to stop it from happening to them and what we might have done.
Is this enough to provide us valuable insight? Or are we simply picking over the bones of something that doesn’t offer us much value – talking about stuff that’s happened is reactive, we are really focusing on aftermath and also, it’s depressing stuff.
I think that we don’t have enough conversations that lead to us educating each other. Ok, so what’s the plan? Let’s share information. When we are talking about violence, talk about what we know. Talk about the things that some guy did that made us feel uncomfortable during the date and why we are not going to go out with him again. Or the time that our ego got in control of us and started to escalate a road rage incident. Challenge and discuss what you and others understand about keeping ourselves safe. Challenge, think and discuss lots. Simple. Because knowing violence, and knowing the early signs of violence, is extremely effective in reducing the balance of probability of being involved in violence.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Latest Column from Darcy Mellsop
Since my last column, I’ve read about further attacks. One victim being a young lady
putting out the rubbish late at night in Newtown, Wellington. She commented "...If anything it's a warning to young girls: Don't go out alone in the dark at all."
We all know that the rules change when night comes. Things are different, and with the darkness, there is a natural fear that goes with it. Of course, I’m not going to argue for a moment that this fear is misplaced – for it is not. I, as we all do, know that it is not misplaced.
But let me ask, do we live in more fear than we should? And if so, what can we do about this? Obviously simply thinking “I won’t fear it any more” won’t work, as that is not a corrective action, it has no real benefit.
So what can we do about this? I’ve a saying that I use to challenge myself when I need to: Run into the darkness. What does that mean? Imagine standing in a silky green field, grass glimmering in the sun, and a warm breeze is the foundation for all your senses being so awake. But next to you just away from you - flat and straight cutting a straight edge across the grassy plain is a forest, dark and twisted and cold - in there only hate and fear and suffering.
So you think that you won't go in there, but guess what, look where you are standing and what you are experiencing. You are experiencing those feelings and you are not in the forest. So really, where does the forest end and your fears start? Not at the edge. No. Where you are now. The only way to truly subside fear is to face up to it. This can free us from a world of fear – how often do
we spend so much time fearing something that doesn’t happen? And if it does happen, we know that we’ll freeze because we don’t have the tools to deal with it - which is the likely reason why we fear it in the first place. Freeing ourselves from fear, gives us confidence. Exuding confidence, importantly, reduces the likelihood that we will be the targets of street violence – it reduces the balance of probability. Sounds good right? You have to be prepared to venture into the forest.
Whatever your fear is, whether it is to do with personal safety for yourself or family or something else, do something about it: run into the darkness.
Hey, if someone wants to bowl some cricket balls at me, please contact me, I’m scared silly of cricket balls and it would be good to get that sorted. The faster the bowler the better. Thanks.
putting out the rubbish late at night in Newtown, Wellington. She commented "...If anything it's a warning to young girls: Don't go out alone in the dark at all."
We all know that the rules change when night comes. Things are different, and with the darkness, there is a natural fear that goes with it. Of course, I’m not going to argue for a moment that this fear is misplaced – for it is not. I, as we all do, know that it is not misplaced.
But let me ask, do we live in more fear than we should? And if so, what can we do about this? Obviously simply thinking “I won’t fear it any more” won’t work, as that is not a corrective action, it has no real benefit.
So what can we do about this? I’ve a saying that I use to challenge myself when I need to: Run into the darkness. What does that mean? Imagine standing in a silky green field, grass glimmering in the sun, and a warm breeze is the foundation for all your senses being so awake. But next to you just away from you - flat and straight cutting a straight edge across the grassy plain is a forest, dark and twisted and cold - in there only hate and fear and suffering.
So you think that you won't go in there, but guess what, look where you are standing and what you are experiencing. You are experiencing those feelings and you are not in the forest. So really, where does the forest end and your fears start? Not at the edge. No. Where you are now. The only way to truly subside fear is to face up to it. This can free us from a world of fear – how often do
we spend so much time fearing something that doesn’t happen? And if it does happen, we know that we’ll freeze because we don’t have the tools to deal with it - which is the likely reason why we fear it in the first place. Freeing ourselves from fear, gives us confidence. Exuding confidence, importantly, reduces the likelihood that we will be the targets of street violence – it reduces the balance of probability. Sounds good right? You have to be prepared to venture into the forest.
Whatever your fear is, whether it is to do with personal safety for yourself or family or something else, do something about it: run into the darkness.
Hey, if someone wants to bowl some cricket balls at me, please contact me, I’m scared silly of cricket balls and it would be good to get that sorted. The faster the bowler the better. Thanks.
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Latest Column from Darcy: 'Random attacks'
Over the summer break, there have been two high profile attacks that have been referred as random by some media - and that seriously troubles me. These attacks were the murder of Phil Cottrell in Wellington city and the violent sexual attack on a young girl who was touring with her family from Belgium.
What troubles me is this: that the often used term “random” gives many the impression that these attacks could not have been predicted which is not entirely correct.
These attacks were not completely random: Both the attackers of Phil Cottrell and the young girl had a propensity to commit these crimes, which is plainly obvious. This propensity isn’t a fleeting and random thing. If you had seen the things that these attackers have done in their lives and the continual increase in severity of these things, you too might have predicted these crimes happening. Indeed, perhaps some had.
These attacks were literally inevitable. Even the choosing of who might be the potential victim might feel random to us, but it isn’t to the attacker. The attacker will choose, and test, who they feel will be a suitable victim. So really, what aspect is left that make these attacks random?
I’ve raised a number of points which merit more discussion, but the main point is this: Do not think that there is nothing you can do to prevent these attacks because they are purely random. They are not.
What troubles me is this: that the often used term “random” gives many the impression that these attacks could not have been predicted which is not entirely correct.
These attacks were not completely random: Both the attackers of Phil Cottrell and the young girl had a propensity to commit these crimes, which is plainly obvious. This propensity isn’t a fleeting and random thing. If you had seen the things that these attackers have done in their lives and the continual increase in severity of these things, you too might have predicted these crimes happening. Indeed, perhaps some had.
These attacks were literally inevitable. Even the choosing of who might be the potential victim might feel random to us, but it isn’t to the attacker. The attacker will choose, and test, who they feel will be a suitable victim. So really, what aspect is left that make these attacks random?
I’ve raised a number of points which merit more discussion, but the main point is this: Do not think that there is nothing you can do to prevent these attacks because they are purely random. They are not.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Widen your view - Latest article by Darcy Mellsop
Just over a week ago I provided a self defence presentation as part of a Bunnings Ladies
only night. Before the presentation I was talking to a lady who supplied me
with a pretty simple perspective to self defence: Just punch him in the groin.
I said that self defence is more than physical. To which she replied: Of course, you can just
run. Me: What if you can’t run? Her: Well - just don’t be there.
Me: Is it that simple? There were over 7000 instances of assault and sexual assault
reported to Police in the Wellington region last year, surely not one of those
7000 survivors of those incidents chose to be there, so then, “just not being
there” isn’t that easy is it?
I shared with her Rachel’s story, as I had in this column 6 weeks ago. What does “just
not being there” mean? I put it to her that it can’t be about not going for a
run, not seeing a movie late at night, not meeting new people, and in Rachel’s
case, not dating ever again? Avoidance does require great decision making, but
it isn’t living at home behind a locked door all your life.
Great avoidance is about being able to live a full life knowing that your intuition
is empowered to spark when it detects something that isn’t right. Your
intuition needs to be empowered with information, which is what I shared in my
presentation, I’ve shared with you in earlier columns and will share with you
in future columns. That is self defence.
only night. Before the presentation I was talking to a lady who supplied me
with a pretty simple perspective to self defence: Just punch him in the groin.
I said that self defence is more than physical. To which she replied: Of course, you can just
run. Me: What if you can’t run? Her: Well - just don’t be there.
Me: Is it that simple? There were over 7000 instances of assault and sexual assault
reported to Police in the Wellington region last year, surely not one of those
7000 survivors of those incidents chose to be there, so then, “just not being
there” isn’t that easy is it?
I shared with her Rachel’s story, as I had in this column 6 weeks ago. What does “just
not being there” mean? I put it to her that it can’t be about not going for a
run, not seeing a movie late at night, not meeting new people, and in Rachel’s
case, not dating ever again? Avoidance does require great decision making, but
it isn’t living at home behind a locked door all your life.
Great avoidance is about being able to live a full life knowing that your intuition
is empowered to spark when it detects something that isn’t right. Your
intuition needs to be empowered with information, which is what I shared in my
presentation, I’ve shared with you in earlier columns and will share with you
in future columns. That is self defence.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Thursday, September 15, 2011
What were the signs?
Excellent short article by Darcy:
What were the signs?
Recently I had a young business woman in her mid-twenties ask me for advice so she would not again find herself in the situation she recently found herself in.
Rachel shared her story with me: I was at a party, and he must saw me there, but I didn’t meet him. When I arrived home that evening, he’d left three messages on my phone asking me out. I wasn’t so sure but decided to go out with him – he sounded nice, but I didn’t know what he looked like. Our first date was ok, but he did joke about getting married and having kids. On our second date, he mentioned getting married and having kids again and sounded almost serious. On the third date he gave me an iPhone!! I loved it. He did flip out one day when he found out that I had an ex-boyfriends number in it and he made me delete it out in front of him. He then “suggested” who I should have in the phone. He would call me all the time too, asking me what I was doing – and if he wasn’t phoning me, he’d just turn up announced at my apartment. He talked about us being together forever, soul mates. I wanted to dump him and I tried, but he’d cry and talk about killing himself. That I’d find no one better. He’s met someone else now, but while we were together, for months I just couldn’t breathe. I lost friends and I cried so often. I doubted myself. Darcy, I need to know what the signs are so I don’t meet someone like him again.
Rachel, those are the signs.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Monday, August 1, 2011
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Wellington Charity Event: Women's Safety Seminar
Darcy Mellsop doing some awesome stuff in Wellington again! If you are in the Hutt Valley (or anywhere in Wellington, it'll be worth the travel!) be sure to get along to this information event, which is raising money for Wellington woman's refuge, organised by Anna Nankivell from Remax Lower Hutt. What a great community initiative, this will be excellent! Get there if you can! :-) Phil
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Excellent work!
Karate woman floors thugs
NZPA May 30, 2011, 7:11 am
Two thugs got more than they bargained for when they attacked a young Wellington woman as she walked home from her nightshift at the weekend.
They found they were no match for the waitress who floored the pair by using her martial arts skills.
Police say they were impressed with the young woman's bravery.
"Often we don't encourage people to fight back, because it can make things worse, but she acted with a great degree of bravery and she's done a great job," Detective Sergeant Shane Dye told The Dominion Post.
The 18-year-old was walking along Taranaki about 6.15am on Saturday when she noticed a man watching her. When she passed him, he attempted to grab her.
Mr Dye said she had been studying karate for about seven years and knew to elbow the man in the chest and stomp on his foot.
"She was then attacked by a second male who she hadn't seen, and he began to pull at her handbag -- then she punched him in the stomach."
During the scuffle the woman fell to the ground and was attacked again by the first man, but the woman was able to kick him and escape.
Police are hunting the two attackers.
I will choose to assume that the "Often we don't encourage people to fight back, because it can make things worse..." comment has been taken out of context by the media given that is it wrong, dangerous, and irresponsible advice which I am sure no senior police officer would give.
Great job by this young lady and I hope her emotional recovery from the event is strong.
Footnote: Another article from NEWSTALK ZB gives further context to this situation in case anyone was thinking "It was a robbery, she should have just given over her bag" with:
Detective Sergeant Shane Dye says one man grabbed her from behind as she was walking down the road, trying to drag her towards his car. He says she used her karate to fight him off, but then a second man tried to grab her handbag over her shoulder.
The young woman continued to fight and managed to escape, but has been left shaken with a knee injury.
NZPA May 30, 2011, 7:11 am
Two thugs got more than they bargained for when they attacked a young Wellington woman as she walked home from her nightshift at the weekend.
They found they were no match for the waitress who floored the pair by using her martial arts skills.
Police say they were impressed with the young woman's bravery.
"Often we don't encourage people to fight back, because it can make things worse, but she acted with a great degree of bravery and she's done a great job," Detective Sergeant Shane Dye told The Dominion Post.
The 18-year-old was walking along Taranaki about 6.15am on Saturday when she noticed a man watching her. When she passed him, he attempted to grab her.
Mr Dye said she had been studying karate for about seven years and knew to elbow the man in the chest and stomp on his foot.
"She was then attacked by a second male who she hadn't seen, and he began to pull at her handbag -- then she punched him in the stomach."
During the scuffle the woman fell to the ground and was attacked again by the first man, but the woman was able to kick him and escape.
Police are hunting the two attackers.
I will choose to assume that the "Often we don't encourage people to fight back, because it can make things worse..." comment has been taken out of context by the media given that is it wrong, dangerous, and irresponsible advice which I am sure no senior police officer would give.
Great job by this young lady and I hope her emotional recovery from the event is strong.
Footnote: Another article from NEWSTALK ZB gives further context to this situation in case anyone was thinking "It was a robbery, she should have just given over her bag" with:
Detective Sergeant Shane Dye says one man grabbed her from behind as she was walking down the road, trying to drag her towards his car. He says she used her karate to fight him off, but then a second man tried to grab her handbag over her shoulder.
The young woman continued to fight and managed to escape, but has been left shaken with a knee injury.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Best Defence (Phase 1) course Wellington
The team at the 'Best Defence (Phase 1) course - Wellington, May 2011
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