Safety Saturday: The Importance of Self Defense skills

Mwaka Mwandwe :

“Self defense helped me to gain confidence and be aware of issues that affect me and the community.”#SafetyReport #SAFIGISafetySaturday#SafetyForGirls

Self defense, the ability to protect or defend oneself especially when it involves the physical self, is a cardinal skill to hold by everyone. Self defense lessons are not taught in many institutions, infact majority of people who can defend themselves are either professional sports men & women or people who have survived crimes against them and see the need to be better equipped to protect themselves for future incidences.

We don’t have to wait for horrible things to happen to us before we seek tips, tricks or skills that keep us safe. I k now people who would have avoided getting hurt if only they knew about analyzing how safe or hazardous an environment was, and I know people who escaped violent crime against them just because they knew what to do in that situation. When you learn a new skill, like the true testimony above, it gives you a sense of confidence and reassurance, other than that you can actively share that information with others to help not only protect you but people you love as well.

Statistics show that 35{8eb5651e1a6a26247759817f73fc4056fe0960a5b1d283dc423538ced2989f02} of women worldwide have experienced some form of violence, (www.unwomen.com, 2018), that being physical or sexual. Additionally, globally 1.6 millions deaths every year world wide, are caused by violence, (www.peacealliance.com, 2018).

This means we are all basically at risk of violence against us, male or female but twice as much for females.

Note: it is never your fault when you are the victim of violence e.g. murder, rape, assault or theft. However, there are things you can do to ensure you reduce the likelihood of those crimes happening to you.

When out at night, have a well known designated driver, do not drink and drive or be a passenger to a drunken driver, at all costs avoid walking at night, if you will be late have people you know and trust pick you up from an evening event to your home. Do not compromise who you are too fit in, taking drugs or alcohol you do not know about is risky because you do not know how it reacts to your body, you may pass out and be a victim of rape or murder.

Unless you absolutely know a person, do not be found in closed or private places. Know them first and even then, be prepared for a possible confrontation. Remember, forewarned is forearmed.

Always always always observe what is happening around you, your drink, the people at the next table, someone might need your help to get home, (be a brother and Sister’s keeper).

Take a self defense class, or read about it, have a safety tool in your wallet or purse, you never know when a razor comes in handy to cut a rope or perpetrator.
Be confident, never go down without a fight, you have will need physical evidence to prove you were violated and Heaven forbid if you loose your life in the process, fighting most times leaves enough evidence to catch the criminal and protect the next victim.

And remember, we have instincts just like animals out there, we may not shed a leg to survive or change colors but we have INSTINCTS, the sixth sense, if it feels off, its not your imagination you are not SAFE, GET OUT while you can even if people call you names or think you’re UNCOOL. “Better safe than sorry.”
#IAMASURVIOUR #SAFETYFIRST #SAFIGI

Mwaka C. Mwandwe holds a BA in Psychology and History from the University of Zambia. She has been passionate about public health since she was 18 years old with key interest toward Adolescents and inclined to behavioral change and social justice. Her work experience, mainly in the NGO sector, have been bordered on Sexual Reproductive Health, life skills, human rights and promotion of Gender Equality. She loves to read varieties of books, watch movies and subtitled series. Her favorite pet is a cat and if she had the chance, she would declare a world junk food day so she can proudly store chocolate for it. She has been Volunteer Manager for SAFIGI since 2016

 

 

About SAFIGI:

SAFIGI Outreach Foundation Ltd is a not for profit organization based in Zambia with a vision to raise a generation where girls are empowered, equipped and fulfilled in every aspect of their life, for the development of the entire world. To know more about SAFIGI’s goals and activities, visit http://www.safetyfirstforgirls.org

 

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