Comments

I am interested in becoming a certified trainer for Just Yell Fire. I gained my Master's degree in Library Science last May with an emphasis in children's and youth services, and hope to find a job soon as a public librarian. With the amount of contact I will have in that field with young and teenage girls, as well as contacts with schools and other libraries, I would like to find out how to become involved and help promote your program.

I have been training in aikido as a self-defense art since June, and will be testing for my first rank soon. The more I learned in aikido, the more it made me aware of how girls and women in America are socialized about violence. Movies, television, and popular media seem to promote the belief that girls and women cannot win or escape in a situation where we are under attack by a man. Recognizing this made me interested in finding out what programs were already available to promote girls' and women's self-defense. I discovered Just Yell Fire by Googling "women's self-defense". I was thrilled to find that someone has begun a movement to counter that socialization early in women's lives, beginning with teaching the girls who are most at risk that they CAN defend themselves and escape an attacker, even if their attacker is much larger. I myself am only 5'1", and the techniques that eliminate an attacker's advantage of greater height are also especially applicable to me.

I live in St. Louis, Missouri, USA, and I would like any information available on training for certification for Just Yell Fire, either locally or in neighboring states if necessary. Many thanks to you, Dallas, and everyone else involved with Just Yell Fire for your caring and hard work.

I was so impressed with the Just Yell Fire video that a few weeks ago I brought it to the attention of one of the guidance counselors at our local high school, Hinsdale Central High School, Hinsdale, Illinois. I got word from him today that he had shared the video with the school's physical education and health teachers. They thought it was great and they have decided to use it in their classes.

Hi Maggie, I just heard you speaking on Clark Howard’s show a few minutes ago when I was in my car and went to your website as soon as I got back to my store. Not only is your daughter beautiful but also very bright and talented. You should be very proud.

You guys are doing such a wonderful thing for society. Keep up the good work.

I am a first degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do. I am 49 years old and the mother of three boys and one girl. The values that I have seen in your process are just what I am looking for.

I first read about the video "just yell fire" in last weeks People magazine, and immediately went on line to get more information. As a gynecologist, I have seen firsthand the lifelong devastation of sexual assault. As a martial artist, I understand the importance of empowering everyone to be able to defend themselves. I am encouraging all of my friends, family, coworkers, etc. to visit your site, and learn more about this important message. I also hope to teach some of these skills at our next office meeting. Thank you, Thank you, for making this video.

I am a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) and have performed more rape exams than I care to remember. I live in North Carolina and education regarding rape and encouragement to report is not what it should be. I am sure that most females, both teenagers and adults, can tell you the signs and symptoms of a heart attack or what to do if there is a fire, but can't protect themselves or identify risk factors for assault. I am pleased to see a media form of information regarding sexual assault. Our society (especially young people) is very media driven, especially visually, and to see something is more credible that to be told something. I see victims who have been devastated and always "wish I had made a different decision" or "wish I knew what I could have done to stop this". I could bet many people know the Heimleich maneuver if someone is chocking and they surely know what kind of diet to prevent heart disease, but don't know what they can do to protect themselves in a mall parking lot or identify behavior that is suspicious or threatening. It is more believable that you could have a heart attack than it is that you could be sexually assaulted. I applaud your advocacy for safety and sexual assault.

Dear Maggie, I just wanted to thank you so much for making this available to everyone and free no less. I am a 37 year old Mom of 5. In 2004 when my last child was 4 days old I noticed a neighbor girl riding her bike outside my home in a small community in Illinois. She stopped to take a drink of her water and I saw a man get out of his car and try to take her off her bike. I knew this little girl who was 8 at the time for most of her life, and I knew I didn't know this man. I ran outside yelling and he fled. By God's grace I happened to look over and got his licence plate number. Unfortunately he left my home and 45 min. later (presumably) kidnapped and raped a 13 year old. He then was caught the next day and is still in jail awaiting a trial. My point is this 8 year old is always very assure of herself, but when this happened she didn't even yell, and having 3 girls of my own, I need them to know how to be prepared. I have lived in my community all my life and never thought that this would happen here but it did, and I was very comfortable in thinking that. Thank you for caring about our children, and helping everyone feel like they don't have to be a victim, but to be secure in knowing that they can be prepared and protect themselves if need be.

I just finished reading about you in the latest Costco Connection magazine.

Thank you for showing how one person can team up with others to make a huge and wonderful difference.

Keep up the great job you are doing educating our youth, especially young women that they have the right for a life without violence of any form being used against them; and how to protect themselves.

Thank you.

The DVD came today. I watched it with my daughter. Very well done, very informative. It's a relief to know that even a non-athlete can do something to protect herself. Thank you so much!

I'm a retired Police Officer and know full well the unfortunate dangers that are out there in our society today. Thank you for taking the time and effort to put this video together, you are a credit to your generation.