How to Put Your Self Defense Moves Together

Sarah T: Hi, I am Sarah T. Today we are learning how to defend ourselves. Now we are going to put everything we have already learned altogether into a typical scenario. Most assaults don't just happen from the standing or sitting position. They begin with a verbal confrontation and they escalate into a physical assault. In all situations that are volatile on any level, you remember, you want to set clear boundaries. In the event that you are attacked that your boundaries have been violated and that you are actually in a physical self-defense situation, remember to yell. Once you have successfully defended yourself, remember to get to safety, whatever safety is, it could be leaving the building, it could be getting into your car, it could be getting to a telephone and calling for help, whatever safety is. Lauren and I are now going to demonstrate three scenarios with all the self-defense principles at work. In the first situation the attacker gets close to me by asking for directions. Lauren Taylor: Hey, you look like nice, could you help me? I am trying to find Smithsonian Museum. Sarah T: Sure, the Smithsonian, you just want to go straight down here and then make a left on 7th street. Lauren Taylor: Through which way? Sarah T: Straight down the street that you are already on. Could you take a step back please? I am going to explain to you, I just will be more comfortable if you would take a step back. Lauren Taylor: okay, I can't see where the 7th street is. Sarah T: Well, you will see once you get back in your car and drive. Lauren Taylor: Would you show me? Sarah T: Take your hands off of me. Take your hands off of me and take a step back. Lauren Taylor: I thought people -- Sarah T: I said take your hands off me and take a step back. Lauren Taylor: I thought people were supposed to be nice and decent, you are not nice, and you should be nicer to me. I'm a tourist. Sarah T: I said step back. Lauren Taylor: You should be nicer to me. What's you problem. Sarah T: No, no, no, no. Sarah T: In this scenario, we are going to put all the principles of self-defense together into a situation involving somebody that you know. In this scenario, I will be assaulting Lauren and I know her from seeing her around the apartment building that we both live in. Sarah T: Hey, good how are you doing? Lauren Taylor: Alright. Sarah T: Well, you had a lot of stuff there. Can I help you carry something? Lauren Taylor: Oh no really I am okay. Sarah T: Are you sure? Lauren Taylor: Yeah, it is okay. Sarah T: Well, why do not you just let me take something? Lauren Taylor: No, I am just going to go on to my apartment, it is alright. Sarah T: Oh can I come with you now? We can have a drink. Lauren Taylor: No, no really Sarah T: Are you sure? Come on, I have always wanted to get to know. Lauren Taylor: I know but Sarah T: Why are you so stuck up? How can you don't want to? What are you going to do? Look you cannot even move now. Lauren Taylor: I just do not like people touching me. Sarah T: Well, too bad, what you going to do I'm walling your face? Lauren Taylor: I said just do not touch me, back up. Sarah T: I will not touch you; I am going to touch you. Lauren Taylor: I am going to consider it an assault. Sarah T: No, no, no. In this scenario we are going to put all the principles of self-defense together in a situation involving a survivor of domestic violence and a former partner who she has a restraining order against. In this situation I will be defending as Lauren crosses the legal boundary of a restraining order. Lauren Taylor: Hey, Sarah. Sarah T: Oh no, no, no, no, no, no, you need to. Lauren Taylor: I just want to talk to you for a minute. Sarah T: You cannot be anywhere near me, you need to get just moving. Lauren Taylor: I just want to talk to you but it is not going to be like that, it is not going to get messy, I am okay, I just want to talk to you for a minute, I need to see. Sarah T: Listen, listen excuse me, could somebody please call the police? Lauren Taylor: I need to see the kids, I know I am not. Sarah T: No what you need to do. Lauren Taylor: I know I am not going to see them until next week but really I just need to see them. Just let me talk to them. I am changed; it is really not like you think. Sarah T: No, you need to go. Lauren Taylor: Look Sarah you can't. Sarah T: It is not even a question. Lauren Taylor: You can't tell me what to do. Sarah T: No, no, no, no, no. So that's how we put all of the principles of self-defense together in situations that escalate from the verbal into the boundary setting and then finally in the physical. As you can see, in each case, the defender was aware of her environment, set the boundaries, presented a strong verbal defense and then looked for targets on the assailant and weapons that were available on her and then finally got to safety. In the next segment we will discuss how to make self-defense a part of your everyday life.