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WOW group learns about personal safety

The Aug. 6 Woman of Wellness (WOW) event, hosted by the Fallbrook Healthcare District at Fallbrook Library, featured a different kind of wellness program. "Practicing Personal Safety" was presented by Dan Paulson with many useful tips and demonstrations of self-defense.

Paulson said, "We are all weird, but there is harmless weird and dangerous weird." The true predator, he explained, uses violence to dominate people. The best thing a woman can do when confronted by a threatening person is to scream, "Help, he's hurting me!" If she is trained in personal safety, however, she may be able to stay out of that kind of trouble.

Paulson, owner of Martial Art Concepts, explained that there is a difference between martial arts and self defense. Traditional martial arts is a lifestyle with skills that take months to develop, but women can use their intelligence, intuition and natural ability to their advantage.

Paulson uses repetitive training as it is "easier to train the mind than the body." To avoid being in an unsafe position, he said the rule number one is "Don't be there." The way women can avoid those predicaments is to use the four A's: Awareness of surroundings; Assessment of the situation; take Action; Avoid potentially dangerous situations.

He advised, "Don't create a pattern for a stalker, i.e. jogging the same route every day; never jog or bike alone; be alert in parking lots – use the four A's."

As an example of being aware of surroundings, Paulson described the best way for women to get into a car when carrying groceries. He said, "Walk past the car, go around the front then get into the car." This way the woman can see the whole parking lot and not be surprised by someone wanting to steal her car.

Furthermore, women should be aware of the interview process, the probing of her defenses. "If a man comes up to you who you don't know, become prickly, maintain your personal space and be firm. Make sure they know that you know [what they are doing]," he said. Also, "Don't look like a victim; be a pain and when all else fails, fight like a wildcat!"

His tips to deal with an attacker included:

  • Use available technology: use your phone as a weapon by taking his picture and telling him you are sending the picture to the police.
  • Scream loudly – someone will likely come to help.
  • Never get in a car when he tells you to; if you do, statistically you're dead.
"If a man drives up to you with a gun, run in the opposite direction (past the back of his car) and use your environment to put something between him and you. Shooting a gun is not as easy as it looks on TV," Paulson said.

For physical self defense, he reminded the ladies that "every man has a vulnerable spot – his balls." Kicking him there gives a woman the chance to run away. Or put a "thumb in his eye lest you die, and run!" he added. It only takes a split second to get rid of them either way he said.

Since women's hands are delicate, he advised using the palm of one's hand to strike back. At the same time, "arms lead to the head, and legs lead to the groin" he said as he demonstrated how to fight back with one's elbows and knees.

If she has been knocked to the ground, a woman can still kick a man in the groin. Paulson also showed the ladies how to grab an attacker's throat using two fingers and the thumb to squeeze behind the trachea.

He also recommended taking a DNA sample of an attacker by scratching him which can also leave an identifying mark on him. "Take some skin; the object is to escape, get away. Winning is waking up the next day," Paulson said.

In reviewing car defense, Paulson said the number one idea is to have a plan.

  • Keep the windows up while driving
  • Lock the door
  • Don't talk on the phone.
  • Always take keys out of the ignition
"If a man confronts you at a gas station and says, 'give me the keys and get in the car', throw/heave them across the street, run in the other direction and scream," Paulson instructed.

He also advised them to always have their cell phones charged, and if their car breaks down, "do not put up the hood and turn the flashers on. Use a cell phone and have a plan."

When driving and coming to a stop in traffic, "Don't get locked in, leave some space to maneuver," in case you need to drive away quickly.

When it comes to home defense, it is equally important to have a plan, he said, suggesting that women should run scenarios to be prepared (assessing the environment). "You are most vulnerable when you think you aren't," he said. His tips in this area included:

  • Keep windows closed and locked
  • Have good outdoor lighting
  • Keep trees and bushes trimmed
  • Keep a portable phone by your bed
  • Have a safe room to lock yourself in (i.e. bathroom)
Weapons are a great equalizer, Paulson said, adding "Guns are good as long as you know how to use them." Being able to use a gun takes practice so if a woman can't easily use it, the attacker can use it against her. She also needs to be aware of the legalities of having weapons [guns or knives] he said.

Improvised weapons that can be used when necessary include a rolled up magazine or a handful of sand. A handy weapon that is totally legal is a very bright light Paulson said as he showed the ladies a small flashlight which he called a light cannon that puts out over 500 lumens of light.

Keeping the flashlight close by or in bed and shining it in the face of an attacker (at night), "buys you the time to get away...don't use it for anything else, keep fresh batteries in it," he said.

In summing up his advise, Paulson said, "Don't become paranoid; be aware of your surroundings; assess what is out there; be aware of global threats in social media." When it comes to using weapons, "it's better to be judged by 12 in court than carried by six, in a coffin" and "when it's time to fight, fight like hell."

He reminded them that drugs, alcohol and a sedentary lifestyle are also deadly. He advised them to "eat right, exercise, take care of yourself, stay involved and keep learning."

The next WOW event will be held on Thursday, Sept. 3 with a urologist as the guest speaker. Men are encouraged to come this time as the program will include prostate health.

 

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