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Smithtown Karate
Academy
Chief Instructor:
Marilyn Fierro, 8th Dan
Attack Prevention
Kyoshi Marilyn
Fierro
performs Self-Defense Takedown on
Charles Grotyohann
Photo by Chris Garcia
Kyoshi Fierro has been
presenting Attack Prevention programs to schools, corporations, scout
groups and various organizations throughout Long island since 1978. Her
innovative approach to Woman's "Attack Prevention" is the subject of a
video produced for the purpose of presenting these programs in the
school district. her program is now actively running in 11 high schools
in the New York area. The video was a runner up in the Long Island Film
Festival in 1995. This video has received endorsements from Patrick
McCarthy and Bugeisha Magazine and is now available through her as well
as Isshinryu Productions
Isshin-Ryu Productions
The Following article is from the Spring 1998 Issue of Bugeisha #5
VICTOR OR VICTIM
by Marilyn Fierro
Years ago the thought of teaching a
self-defense program to women would cause me to cringe. I never seemed
to be able to encourage the kind of intensity necessary for them to walk
away from the program with a true concept of what it would take to
defend themselves should the need arise. From time to time I would be
forced into teaching a group of women and found myself joining the
controversy of the times, which asked "are we simply nurturing a false
sense of security?" The question would ring in my mind and I did not
want to be guilty of causing more harm than good. The fact was that 20
years ago or so Women seemed more concerned about breaking a nail than
learning a technique. I found myself taking the easy route of avoidance
rather than confront the real issue. In truthfulness, there was and is a
real need for effective defense programs that empower the non martial
artist with usable tools for self-defense. The answer therefor was to
rethink the process from a perspective of the "old me -- the me before I
discovered karate." What made me continue to pursue my training in spite
of adversity from many of my "Friends"? There were two points that stood
out above the rest. Don’t tell me what I cannot do and don’t tell me
that I cannot do it! Both created enough anger to make me prove them
wrong; So if anger is a motivator for me, why not for others. Today I
start all of my programs by getting the women angry at the injustice of
becoming a victim. I show them what it means to take control of their
lives and I provide the facts, information and back up training.
Awareness is the key to success! In self-defense programs it means
avoidance of problems before they begin and in life it is recognizing an
opportunity and seizing it before the moment passes. Taking control of
one's life starts with a positive mental attitude. An attitude of self
confidence and determination -- knowing that we can achieve what ever we
set our minds to accomplish. Some people begin to develop this through
taking some sort of self-defense or as I prefer to call it "Attack
Prevention" [through awareness] program. It is to be hoped that this
will trigger at the least a desire to take control of one's life and at
the best the pursuance of Martial Arts for life. One cannot nor should
not walk around prepared for a fight anymore than we would ask for one;
we can, however, carry ourselves with assurance. In a research program
conducted in the 1970’s, prisoners who were incarcerated for mugging
people were asked to view tapes of people walking down the street. Then
they were asked to pick out their potential victims. They chose each one
because of the way they walked and acted. The muggers were looking for
an easy target and a person who appeared to lack confidence and
awareness. In 1992 Channel 4 News in New York did a similar study asking
would be muggers from high crime areas the same question. Not
surprisingly the answer was also the same. Step one therefor is as
simple as taking control of your own life -- don’t set yourself up as a
potential victim! Walk with assurance and act as if you know exactly
where you are going.
Being aware is truly the key, but 24 hour a day awareness is an
unrealistic expectation. Once in a while we find ourselves using poor
judgement or placing ourselves in risky situations. Being upset with
yourself solves nothing and can even create a greater risk, instead
recognize your situation and find a way out just as soon as possible.
Making mistakes is O.K. just know how to turn them around.
Knowledge of the law is important in self-defense situations and action
should be taken as deemed appropriate to the actual situation. If for
example someone touches your shoulder and you immediately react with a
sequence from your kata that includes more than a single block and
counter it may be considered extreme force. We do a scenario in our Dojo
training where the would be attacker asks for the time and when the
person looks down she is attacked; after a while the women start to hit
the moment someone asks for the time. It is funny, but definitely an
example of extreme reaction. While it is important to act when we know a
physical defense is necessary it is equally important to -- Establish
the Intent before you defend.
Know your assets and liabilities -- stay in your own strengths. By this
I mean learn to assess what you do the best whether it be running,
kicking, punching or even talking and use those tools of self-defense.
When necessary use the weapons of your body arms, legs and parts of them
as well as your head. Your head is an essential weapon both to strike
with, but more importantly to think with and assess.
If defense is necessary and you take action… do anything you need to in
order to escape with your life. This includes looking around you and
utilizing things like the contents of your purse or pocket as well as
environmental resources for defense purposes.
In researching information for a paper I presented at Long Island
University the statistics I found showed that the farther removed in
relationship a person is from you the more likely you are to talk your
way out of the situation. The better you are aquatinted with the person
the less likely you are to talk your way out of that situation. I tend
to feel that the same applies to the physical defense. The less you know
the individual the more likely you are to take action when you feel it
is warranted while the more aquatinted you are with the person you begin
to doubt whether or not they mean to harm you and may wait too long to
take proper action. These same statistics support this when stating that
the 42.8 % of the attacks against women reportedly occurred in or near
their home or that of a friend. To me it signals the fact that these are
areas where we feel more secure and tend to lower our guard.
Another statistic that I found interesting and one that backed up my
concept that we are the one in charge of our own safety showed that in
over 60% of the time self-defense measures taken by the victim worked
while someone intervening on your behalf helped in less than 40% of the
cases. One reason I believe this to be so is because a person mugging
you who suddenly find themselves up against a good Samaritan or other
assistant will have to do away with you quickly creating even greater
damage than originally anticipated. The other statistic backing up my
theory is that taking self defense measures hurt your situation in less
than 10 % of the time and in another 10 % of the time did no harm at
all. It makes sense then for you to -- take responsibility for your own
safety -- harness fear energy and use it to your own advantage.
According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics -- Criminal Victimization
in the United States- 1992, "The violent crimes of rape, robbery and
assault -- which involve a threat or an act of violence in
confrontations between victims and offenders -- are considered the most
serious crimes measured by the NCVS1 , twenty percent of all crimes
measured by the survey were violent crimes." Out of 140,930 reported
rapes in 1992 - 40,730 were completed while 100,200 were "Attempted."
How many were not reported?
The statistics researched prove that self-defense of any nature works in
up to 71% of violent attacks while it hurt in only 9%. 8% of the time it
could have gone either way and in yet another 12% of the time it neither
helped nor hurt. Viewed in this manner it is obvious that in about 83%
of the time it is worth doing something. Anything is better than
standing by and becoming a victim. The program helps people get in touch
with themselves and learn what it takes to avoid victimization.
Finally, be Psychic -- harness into your 6th sense -- if something
doesn’t feel right it probably is not. We were given a gift of
perception that we all too often ignore. We feel we are being silly when
we find ourselves reacting to something that is not even there. When it
comes to your safety nothing is silly. I would rather have to apologize
for my actions than end up as just another statistic. No one -- but NO
ONE has the right to take away your dignity. Being a victim can mean a
lot of things to a lot of people but the most important thing is how we
feel about our selves on the inside. Sometimes it is necessary to look
at the positive that come out of any action or lack of action. Hindsight
is a wonderful thing but it is only there after the fact… should have’s,
would haves and could haves are not empowering emotions. If you want to
be in charge of your life you need to make that decision -- TODAY. We
learn from our experiences and move on, otherwise we become victims over
and over and over.
1. National Crime Victimization Survey
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Marilyn Fierro, Chief Instructor
Smithtown Karate Academy
135 West Main Street
Smithtown,NY 11787
USA
(631) 265-9062
(next
door to the Sizzler)
More Details:
Master Nick Adler's
E-Mail:
VIRTUAL VISIT TO
OUR DOJO
http://fileserver.uechi-ryu.com/videos/ska-comm.wmv
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