Fighting for your safety may be necessary. However, if you start out fighting you cancel any other options that might be open to you. Since many attacks on women are not sexually motivated, and are designed to degrade and humiliate, talking your way out of it may be easier.

• There is documentation of assailants that left a would-be-victim alone after she told him that she was pregnant and it would kill her baby. (Some case were women that were too old to even have a baby.)
• Telling an attacker that you have VD or AIDS can discourage him.
• It may sound disgusting, but putting your fingers into you throat and making yourself vomit usually gets results. (This method is not often used except as a last resort.)
• Use your imagination and you can think of others.

The above methods are particularly important if your assailant has a gun or knife, or there is more than one attacker. (Fighting would probably be futile.)

• Guns stolen from residences are a primary way of getting guns into the hands of criminals.
• Be aware of those times and places where there is a potential for attack and be prepared to defend yourself.
  • parking lots
  • walking at night
  • waiting for a bus
  • elevators
  • other you will learn to recognize

Articles common to your handbag that make useful defense weapons.

• nail file
• rat tail comb
• teasing brush
• pens and pencils
• keys
• anything rigid

Concentrate on these areas only when combating an assailant.

• groin
• eyes
• ears
• nose
• throat

You should not swing at an assailant. Roundhouse or overhand blows are easy to deflect or evade. Your movements should be made with all your strength, and should be straight jabs. Remember that screaming may be just as important to your defense as any weapon.