As often happens in my search for exciting topics to write about, I was channel surfing and I came across (by accident) this girl, Dallas Jessup, speaking about a free DVD that teaches girls to stay safe and fight back! I got the web address and checked out the movie here.
Now I am a big proponent of women’s self-defense and I think any effort to pull together all of the facets in a successful defense are good. The problem with women’s self-defense normally are many girls and women think and feel like they are powerless against a bigger, stronger, and meaner male attacker!
In this post I’ll speak about the fallacy of this view that girls and women are powerless and examine this movie, Just Yell Fire, for you perusal. Here is a quick video trailer of the move. I encourage all to visit the website (http://www.JustYellFire.com) if you have any women in your family (most families have some) that might benefit.
http://www.youtube.com/v/WZvShyGMVwY
Girls have an advantage over men in the sense that the immediate reason for the attack is not generally murder. That might come later but think about this – sexual predators are interested in molesting a girl (or boy) as their primary motive!
Having said that you might be wondering what advantage I am talking about? The pervert does not want to overly damage the goods (girl)! That means the girl is not looked at as an worthy adversary but as a piece of meat. The animal (the pervert) will not try and kill the girl with overwhelming strikes at first but rather try and get the girl to a place where he can control her.
This is the advantage girls and women have over men! Some time to react due to the man’s motive! The man is just not intimated by a girl and makes mistakes that puts him at a slight disadvantage.
A woman would not normally challenge a man to arm wrestle or get into a boxing match but that does not preclude a girl from defending herself if she is able to fight back with effective moves (in her surprise (to the man) counterattack)!
What I really like about this website is the DVD/video takes on a phased approach to teaching about how they CAN fight back.
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The beginning of the video is an interview with a policeman speaking about the (hopefully) obvious ways to avoid trouble. The reason I say hopefully is I know most girls have heard this advice and routinely ignore it. My step-daughter still runs with her iPod (ignoring her mother’s warnings from her high school years).
Do I fault girls and boys for not listening to common sense methods to stay safe? No (they are young and invincible), but sadly as friends, family and strangers in their schools are attacked, hopefully girls start to take some of the common sense solutions (the officer in this video speaks about) to heart.
What I view as the second phase of this video is about real life scenarios. What not to do and then how to do it right is demonstraited. After each section an instructor talks about how to do the moves.
I really think this part of the video is effective because as they say, there is nothing like seeing! Ten easy to do techniques are taught in this video and explained. Actually I counted more but this is probably due to variations.
The third phase I noticed is in between the real life scenarios the girls would speak about their rights and expectations in dealing with boys and people. This was powerful I believe because girls in our society are taught to be subservient to adults, teachers, police, anyone in power to the point that many times they don’t know how to say NO!
Please watch this video or click the link to the Just Yell Fire website if you want to see this powerful movie (takes about 15 seconds to start).
http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docId=1364103146278851016
Now for my thoughts – I like the simplicity of this three phased approach to teaching self-defense to girls!
First common sense is reinforced of how to stay safe. This is not the first time girl’s have heard this message but not coming from their parents is powerful. Every little bit helps the message to eventually seep in.
The self techniques (including just yelling fire) are very simple to learn and effective for girls and women to execute. Many times martial arts self-defense techniques are overly complex for a girl just trying to learn quick, simple ways to defend herself. I suggest martial arts for girls and women committed to a longer range plan.
I saw some novel striking attacks such as the groin and ear slaps and such. These moves are both very effective and simple. One might argue their application in pugilistic contests but as a simple – effective self-defense tool for girls – these are great!
The girls talking to the audience about their rights is very powerful because I want girls to know they have rights, they are important and they have the right to decided how they are treated!!!!
Did you happen to notice this is a non profit organization 501(c)(3)? If you are looking for a good charity to contribute to and support self defense techniques as a way to keep our children safer – please consider this charity.
As long time readers of this website know, I support awareness, avoidance, non-lethal weapons, self-defense, and lethal weapons in a layered defense strategy. The good thing about learning actual self-defense techniques is that you will always have them with you. One cannot always be ready if you are depending on any other strategy (although I endorse them all).
I hope you have enjoyed a look at the move and website. I was happy to find this today as I think it supports one of my main goals – teaching folks how to defend themselves! Have a happy and safe new year.