N. Seattle attacks spark interest in self-defense
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SEATTLE - A series of attacks in several North Seattle neighborhoods has put fear in many women.
Two women who lived through such an attack in December say they’re still surprised how it all went down.
Heather Jameson said, "I seriously thought I'd always give up."
Heather and Tracy Muter fought off a would-be purse snatcher outside Northgate Mall.
Victorious then - they now suffer the misfortune of fear.
Tracy said, "It's almost like a sense of panic."
Many people are scared after a series of unsolved attacks, so a North Seattle gym is offering a free self-defense class.
Whether at night or in the middle of the day, if someone comes up right behind you, what should you do first?
Martial arts and self-defense instructor Andy Wilson says, "We call it the big five targets. The five targets are your eyes, your throat, your groin, your knees and the feet."
Andy said it’s a formula - distance equals time – which equals options.
And the techniques they teach are effective, no matter what your size is versus an attacker.
Your chances of successfully punching an attacker larger or stronger than you are slim - but you can effectively cripple that person long enough to make your getaway by targeting those soft areas.
This training is exactly what saved Hanan Judeh's life in 2011.
"I had opened the door to my car and as I turned to close the door to my car a man had shoved me," says Judeh.
Armed with a knife, the carjacker forced his way in.
Relying on her self-defense training, Hanan went after his eyes and gave him a bloody nose. He ran off, but his blood provided the DNA that later convicted him.
"When I went to the sentencing the judge basically told me that if it wasn't for me and my actions they would have never have caught him," she says.
Swift action makes the difference.
"The only goal in a real self-defense situation is safe escape. That’s it, that's it, period," says Wilson.
Adds Judeh, "I absolutely 110 percent believe that every woman should take a self-defense seminar. I mean, it truly saved my life."
Heather and Tracy are taking that advice and taking their daughters with them to this class.
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The free self-defense class will be Saturday from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at MKG Martial Arts International, 10714 5th Ave NE in Seattle. The phone number is 206-789-2411. The gym also offers full, two-day self-defense classes.
Two women who lived through such an attack in December say they’re still surprised how it all went down.
Heather Jameson said, "I seriously thought I'd always give up."
Heather and Tracy Muter fought off a would-be purse snatcher outside Northgate Mall.
Victorious then - they now suffer the misfortune of fear.
Tracy said, "It's almost like a sense of panic."
Many people are scared after a series of unsolved attacks, so a North Seattle gym is offering a free self-defense class.
Whether at night or in the middle of the day, if someone comes up right behind you, what should you do first?
Martial arts and self-defense instructor Andy Wilson says, "We call it the big five targets. The five targets are your eyes, your throat, your groin, your knees and the feet."
Andy said it’s a formula - distance equals time – which equals options.
And the techniques they teach are effective, no matter what your size is versus an attacker.
Your chances of successfully punching an attacker larger or stronger than you are slim - but you can effectively cripple that person long enough to make your getaway by targeting those soft areas.
This training is exactly what saved Hanan Judeh's life in 2011.
"I had opened the door to my car and as I turned to close the door to my car a man had shoved me," says Judeh.
Armed with a knife, the carjacker forced his way in.
Relying on her self-defense training, Hanan went after his eyes and gave him a bloody nose. He ran off, but his blood provided the DNA that later convicted him.
"When I went to the sentencing the judge basically told me that if it wasn't for me and my actions they would have never have caught him," she says.
Swift action makes the difference.
"The only goal in a real self-defense situation is safe escape. That’s it, that's it, period," says Wilson.
Adds Judeh, "I absolutely 110 percent believe that every woman should take a self-defense seminar. I mean, it truly saved my life."
Heather and Tracy are taking that advice and taking their daughters with them to this class.
-----
The free self-defense class will be Saturday from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at MKG Martial Arts International, 10714 5th Ave NE in Seattle. The phone number is 206-789-2411. The gym also offers full, two-day self-defense classes.
A physical tactics course is a good corollary to a concealed weapon. If someone actually jumps you, you can (hopefully) instinctually disable them momentarily, enabling you to draw your weapon to fend off a repetitive attack. On the other hand, if you're alone in a dark, lonely place and you see him/them coming, you can certainly keep them from getting closer than you're comfortable with.
Humm, 23 minutes to respond a 911 call, but theres so many coffee and donut shops in the northend....
It is possible for an assailant to deliver a fatal stabbing blow closing in from seven yards, in 1.5 seconds (Dennis Tueller 1983). Sobering study. All the more reason to get a CPL, carry your firearm of choice, and get additional training if you can. "The average response time of a call to 911 is 23 minutes; dialing 3-5-7 gets a response of 1400 feet per second." I'll take the latter, thank you.
The world is becoming more depraved by the minute.
I encourage all women to take a self defense course. Its a good option if you're uncomfortable with having a gun on you. And if they offer it, take a course in disabling a criminal with a weapon. Its relatively easy to do and does not require a lot of strength.
@Blindman I agree. For all those who have time, are physically able etc this is a good option. A couple points though:Â
1. Make sure the self defense class teaches defense as a mindset, not a response. This means they teach you about using your head first (as in not going to dangerous places, situational awareness etc), mouth and or feet second, violence last. The normal progression is dont be there, failing that you get away from there, failing that talk your way out, failing that fight with all you've got. Every situation is different so there are a myriad of variations but if you think along the lines of these basic principles you will avoid a lot of problems.
2. Taking a course is 5% of the physical part. Practice practice practice is the other 95%. Too many people take a class and think they are covered and then when things happen and their mind goes blank it was all a waste. You need to build it into to be instinctive.
North Seattle was the best area in the Seattle area to live parks sports for the kids, it was great.Time's and PEOPLE are changing aren't they.
People who keep a gun in their home are almost twice as likely to die from a gun related homicide. For women, they are nearly 3 times more likely to die from a gun than the male in the home. Guns in the home increase the risk of gun homicide significantly, and for women, even more so. Â
I don't know what the stats are for women carrying guns for protection on the streets, but it isn't hard to make assumptions. Â
@lakeview Say a lie enough times and people will begin to believe it.  Got a legitimate source for that nonsense?
@lakeview BS That don't Fly
@Mike@lakeview @lakeviewThere are so many problems with this so called statistic. The main one being there is no correlation to whether or not the weapons these people keep were the ones used to inflict harm. I don't know if any recent studies have been done to fix the previous ones but the so called studies that I have seen have not distinguished between people being killed with the own weapons or just some firearm. It came down to "Person X was killed with a firearm. Did they own a firearm? Yes, well count that then." They need to track whether it was their own firearms not just any firearm.This is similar to the oft quoted statistics on firearm deaths where defensive actions, police actions, suicides etc are included in the statistic. But then again I don't see the anti-gunners wanting to be truthful about the stats anyway. It seems to be "The bigger the number the better and who cares if its truthful or not".
@NW-Economist @aintno1special @lakeview I've just started flagging all his posts as off-topic, as they have nothing to do with this story. Just don't feed the troll....I refuse to attempt reasonable discourse with someone so clearly not interested in intellectual honesty.
@aintno1special @lakeviewYou're just scratching the surface of a lot of hypocrisy and contradictions, my advice is don't even go there, it's a nest of Seattle public education most likely.Â
@lakeview@aintno1specialHold up...you love those words, yet you don't try to win on the internet? A lot of contradiction in those two statements.
@lakeview @aintno1specialDon't waste your time, it's obvious to Bakedview and all the special Obamites that Biden was REALLY telling everyone to fire into themselves to spare themselves the misery of having to listen to him.Â
@aintno1special @lakeview I love those words, "you are right." I don't hear that enough around here.Â
@aintno1special @lakeview Biden never said to shoot into the air. End of story. It's not being hypothetical to say otherwise, it's called lying. See the difference?Â
@lakeview You are right he did not specifically say "into the air", that was implied. Fact is, in full context it is the only thing that makes sense. To shoot two rounds to scare them.
@lakeview So it is ok for you to spout hypothetical statements, but when someone else does it (and really not a hypothetical) you want proof? Why is it that seems hypocritical?Â
@aintno1special @lakeview @NW-EconomistLike I said, Bakedview doesn't bother with facts, in their magical word they heard a totally different set of words come out of Biden's mouth, and they seem to be changing all the time. I-502 has certainly not improved cognition in WA.
@aintno1special @lakeview @NW-Economist I never said he did. There was a hypothetical brought up and I responded with another hypothetical.Â
@lakeview @NW-Economist Show me where Biden said anything about someone breaking into their home?
@NW-Economist @lakeview You are melting down in front of everyone here. Can you really not see that?Â
@lakeviewROFL, have fun flagging them, it shows you let words on the internet bother you, just more proof you are unstable and neurotic.Â
@lakeviewLike I said, someone with no knowledge of the world like you should stay quiet and leave the adults to handle important things. It's obvious Biden wanted someone to shoot for the effect of scaring the criminals. Where else would someone shoot besides "into the air?" Into the criminal? If Biden is advocating vigilantism then he needs to be straight, but my guess is you know EXACTLY what he meant and you think this is just a game.Â
@lakeview @NW-EconomistHere: http://www.komonews.com/news/national/In-Connecticut-Biden-urges-action-on-gun-control-192327211.html
Very simple. Point out the instance where a gun has ever been fired through anything BUT air? And don't be an idiot and say through water because we know Biden wasn't talking about hunting marlin.Â
@lakeview @NW-Economist @SeattleJoe @MikeLike I said, the epitome of troll. Anyone reading your crap will find several examples in each new piece of literary excrement you keep spewing.Â
@lakeview @SeattleJoe @MikeBefore we get that far we usually have to see them rather than someone make an outrageous claim that they exist, especially someone like you with known honesty issues.Â
@Mike @lakeview @SeattleJoe Aren't you not supposed to be paying attention to me?Â
@lakeview @SeattleJoe @Mike The only stat I care about is me staying alive
@SeattleJoe @Mike @lakeview Stats are stats. You can interpret them however you want. Or in the case of NW Econo, you can just call them lies out of stupidity.Â
@Mike @lakeview"Lies, damned lies, and statistics"
Don't pay attention to Bakedview.
Pepper spray and a bullhorn are good things to have. Not one of those big bulky bullhorns like what cops have but one of the small cans that make the loud noise, like at a sports game. Yeah... that would scare them off and attract attention.
@Tattooed_Angel Airhorns! About $2-$4 at any sporting goods store and tiny.Â
@Hadrian Yes yes! That's what they're called!
self defense training especially Muay Thai is way more effective than relying on your concealed carry firearm. Situational awareness and close combat fighting will save you.
@Vince As someone who has spent a couple decades in the dojo I call hogwash on that. Defense starts with the brain, goes through numerous phases, and lastly ends with violence whether fighting or firearms. But one thing is for sure if you think everyone can just go out and learn some self defense and be good your are in for a shock. This is especially true for the numerous people who are physically unable to learn something of this nature. What are they going to do? For them their only option could be a weapon. I applaud these ladies for their efforts but if their "defense" training is only the fighting part then they are missing 80% of what they need to know.
@Vince Don't tell NW Economiss
@lakeview @VinceSimple judo suffices for throwing someone off of you, no need to go muay thai.
As far as incapacitating someone once they're down, good luck with that if they're on drugs like most criminals in Seattle. A firearm is the only solution for a PCP addict going crazy.
@NW-Economist @lakeview @Vince I don't want them that close
Personally I don't care how someone chooses to defend themselves - what I do mind is people having a derogatory attitude towards others for their choice. Learn martial arts, carry a firearm, use a knife, or a taser - just do it!
@acmariner99Â Indiana Jones in this (15 second clip) had the EASY solution...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DzcOCyHDqc
@K. Coleman So if someone walks up behind you and you turn and pull a gun on him/her, and all they were going to do was hand you the object you dropped 3 yards back...? Most of the people you encounter each day are benign. But  let's add guns into the mix for funsies! :D
@Hadrian Hmmm, 'interesting hypothetical'.  Whipping out the 'ol gun first, and asking questions later huh?  Nope, that does NOT work (at least for me).  Interesting thing about life, there are just so many things that COULD or MIGHT happen, I just don't play that game.
Being prepared in live has always been prudent. Â Allowing someone else to use a hypothetical as justification to deny them ability to protect themselves is myopic at best deadly at worst. Â
Criminals already add guns into the mix... and it's NOT for 'funsies'.
@K. Coleman @acmariner99 Love that scene. So hilarious but so true. Martial arts are great, a good workout, instills respect as part of the training, and CQC is always a good skill to hone. But when push comes to shove, any distance between you and the target means a firearm will win the day, every time.
@K. Coleman @acmariner99 Easy to shoot someone from 15 feet away when they are standing still. Much harder when you are grabbed from behind and held down to be raped.Â
@lakeview @NW-Economist @K. ColemanI finally got it, you must be one of the people who think Clinton was right when he said "that depends on your dentition of 'is'"
@NW-Economist @lakeview @K. Coleman Full blown meltdown...
@lakeview @K. ColemanYou should have revised that statement: you don't try to win ANYWHERE. Your solution to crime is give the criminal whatever they want. I wish you'd tell all the creeps in the King County jail so they could just keep victimizing you and leave everyone else alone.Â
@K. Coleman @lakeview I don't try to win on the internet. I am a mature person with 2 jobs, a home that's paid off, and money in the bank. But I have no problem telling it like it is and upsetting people with obviously thin skins.Â
Have you noticed that all you can do is name call? This is what people do when they have nothing intelligent to say.Â
@lakeview @SeattleJoe @K. ColemanExactly, I think someone as delusional as you is just a member of the BOHICA tribe.
@lakeview I'm not surprised.  I've read a lot of your posts, and quite simply I find you to be rude, argumentative and obnoxious.  Life is too short to waste on such things.  I prefer a rational debate, so in the future if you reply to any of my postings, I will NOT reply.  If you want to consider that a win (in your mind) feel free.  Have a nice day.
@SeattleJoe @lakeview @K. Coleman I think the conversation ends when one guy implies that the other guy wants women to lie there and get raped. Have a nice day.Â
@lakeview @K. Coleman Ah the qualifier to make sure the scope is narrow enough to be true but not representative of the majority of situations. Fine, people ambushed will likely not easily defend themselves with a weapon. So what do you expect them to do now? Just lay there and woman up and let the guy rape them? Oh thats right they can take some self defense classes and get out ok. Wishful thinking. Very very wishful thinking.
@K. Coleman @lakeview I don't admit that. Show me stats to prove that. I find it much more likely that a woman (or man) who is ambushed may have their gun taken from them and used against them.Â
@NW-Economist @lakeview @K. Coleman @acmariner99 Roll over and play dead. If you are knot already
@lakeview ... try to bring in a little humor... see what it got me.  (sigh)
Yes, Lakeview, that is true, but then one would not need to pull the trigger if the person was that far away now would they? Â We could play the scenario game all day... "this or that could happen", ad nauseum, but you have to admit a lady with a gun has better odds of surviving without becoming a victim.
@lakeview @K. Coleman @acmariner99Yeah, and Bakedview's advice is just give in and don't fight criminals. Give hugs thugs.Â