The State of Self-Defense Programs and Rape Prevention by John Wagner and Lorrain Butcher

There are many types of self-defense situations, that call for different reactions. Unfortunately most self-defense programs and rape prevention courses don't understand this....

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The state of self-defense programs and rape prevention, when I think of how and what is taught in these programs, makes me think of a experience that I had many years ago. I met a marine, who also was in recon. We began talking. He mentioned he was going to start taking karate classes. I started to laugh. He ask me why I was laughing.

I said, “Man you're a marine and in recon! What do you need to take a karate class for?”

He looked me straight in the eye and said, “I know enough to kill some one, but not enough to fight some one.”

There's a lot of truth in his words. There are many types of self-defense situations, that call for different reactions. Unfortunately most self-defense programs and rape prevention courses don't understand this. They approach self-defense in a one dimensional way and driven by media hype.

When I talk about female self-defense, many of these instructors will say, “If you're such an expert on female self-defense, tell me, do you teach a female to bite and tear the bottom lip when he has her on the ground?”

I always smile and say, “Yes I do.”

To bite and tear the bottom lip, however, doesn't work so well when another female has her by the hair on the ground trying to smash her face into the cement, but by these instructors asking me this, it demonstrates my point of how one dimensional their thinking and teaching is. They never consider my scenario. The same way they don't consider it necessary to talk about females who, for no just reason, will knee a man in the groin just because they like to do it. In fact this is not even considered a self-defense situation because it doesn't fit the profile of an all out street fight type of situation.

This scenario it is just as much a self-defense issue to be dealt with as a 250 pound man, high on coke, who doesn't care about how many black belts the victim may have. He just wants to fight. Now these instructors consider that a self-defense issue because it fits one of their profiles for which they train.

Conclusion

In closing, let me make this finale point. you can't defend what you don't teach, by what you do teach.

About the Authors

John Wagner and Lorrain Butcher are both third degree brown belts in traditional Shotokan karate. They began their training in martial arts at Bruyers Martial Arts and Pro Shop Academy. Both Mr. Wagner and Ms. Butcher lettered in high school wrestling. Mr. Wagner was a prison guard in Attica and other prisons. One prison Mr. Wagner was a security guard for was at was New Bedford where he did part of his on the job training. It is the only maximum security prison in New York state for females.

John Wagner and Lorraine Butcher are founders and owners of the Total Self-Defense Program and The Brown Belt Group http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/brownbelt1111111.

Editor and Publisher

J. Richard Kirkham

http://KirkhamsEbooks.com/MartialArts