Safe and Sound

I've taken quite a few self defense training courses over the last 12 years - but the best one was 'Safe and Sound'. I took it for the first time about 4 years ago, which was a perfect time cause I was just starting college and had just moved back into the city. But the thing about self defense, is that it is like many of the other courses you may have taken (CPR, First Aid, Babysitter's, etc) in that when it is not practiced/used regularily, you forget some of it.

Today, I got to take the Safe and Sound course again. My Momma saw a one hour presentation at the Farm Women's Conference and, being on the Ag Society, decided to bring them back to Crossfield. It was AWESOME!!!!!!! I love the course! I love the fact that it is one of the only courses that gives you the opportunity to implement your 'escape plan' with a 'padded attacker'! And most of all, I loved the fact that many of the women I love were there learning how to keep themselves safe. My Mom, my Sister, my '2nd Mom' (Reba) and my sister's soon to be mother-in-law were all there! It was amazing to see how empowering it was for them - and also to see how much rage my Mom has (haha).

To those of you who have never taken a self defense course; DO IT!!! It can literally save your life. And until such time as you do learn how to defend yourself, remember these things:

• In the USA, there is approximately 74 women attacked EVERY minute.
• In Canada, a woman is attacked every 6 seconds.
• In Canada, 1 in 4 females have been sexually assaulted by the time they are 18 yrs old.
• In Canada, 1 in 10 males have been sexually assaulted by the time they are 18 yrs old.
• In Canada, 4 out of 5 women who HAD taken self defense and were attacked got away safely.
• In the USA, there was a study conducted of 50 women who had taken the same self defense course: 37 women KNOCKED OUT there attackers, 11 women fought back and got away safely, only 2 women were assaulted.

PROTECT YOURSELF!! EDUCATE YOURSELF!!

Here are 4 keys to personal safety:

1. Be aware - of your surroundings, of the people around you, of a way out.
2. Have a clear bottom line - at what point are you going to react?
3. Have a PLAN - if you have not thought about what your reaction will be, or what you're willing to do to save your life; you will freeze and be too afraid to react at all.
4. Have confidence and gain skills - Be sure of yourself, know that if need be, you could protect yourself, and learn how to protect yourself.

Should you be attacked, these are the keys to your survival:

• YELL/SCREAM/SHOUT/DRAW ATTENTION
• FIGHT - you ARE fighting for your life!
• RUN - as soon as you have the opportunity to get away, do it. It's tempting to stay there and beat the crap out of your attacker, especially once the adrenaline is pumping - but this only gives them more opportunity to hurt you.
• **BREATH** The MOST important thing - if you are not breathing, you cannot think clearly to get yourself out of the situation.
• REPORT IT - always remember that if you do not report it (no matter how minor it seems) your attacker will move onto the next victim - stop the cycle!

Never allow yourself to be taken to a secondary location - they are not taking you there to give you a warm meal and apologize, they are taking you there to hurt and/or kill you!

To any guy who is reading this - you may think you're immune to being attacked/hurt/sexually assaulted - but you're not. All these 'tips' are for you too.

To the women: You ARE strong! You ARE smart! You DO NOT have to be a victim!

PLEASE learn how to protect yourself!!!!

For more information, you can check out www.safeandsound.ca