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Israeli Self-Defense Teaches Women to Defend Themselves

March 27, 2012

An Israeli self-defense technique has become widely popular in America, and is being used by the American military, law enforcement agents, and every day people looking to defend themselves, CBS News reported.

Every two minutes, someone in the United States is sexually assaulted, and 80 percent of victims are under 30 years of age. The violence against woman is even more staggering, as one in four women will be raped before they graduate college, according to CBS, which did not attribute the statistic to a source.

Yet, the Israeli Krav Maga is reducing these statistics and providing individuals with an innovative and effective way of defending themselves.

Cindy Guerro recounted an incident in which a man, she thought was her friend, forced himself on her and said that due to the fear, she merely froze. While Guerra managed to get out of the situation unharmed, it caused her to take control over her future and take her safety into her own hands by enrolling in Krav Maga classes.

“For those people who are looking for a measure of self defense… and they want to get it now, we show a variety of common attacks, what happens on the street during a crime. That’s what we do,” said Darren Levine, a prosecutor for L.A. County and one of the highest ranked Krav Maga instructors in the world.

Levine said that the classes not only provide individuals with the appropriate moves and skills to defend themselves during an attack, but also teach them a mindset that is essential for survival.

“If you were just to teach techniques, then you’re building people for failure. Because you need to teach the mindset to survive, to engage someone who wants to kill you, to stab you, to rape you,” Levine said. “How do you stay there and fight and hit and know where to hit and know how to do all those things?

“Your vision isn’t as good in the dark, and that’s more likely when…they’re going to be attacked, under those circumstances, rather than the beautiful lighting in the gym we have here. It doesn’t make any sense [to only train in a gym],” he said.

Students are placed in different situations in which they feel threatened and are taught how to best respond to each scenario.

One student recounted a recent event in which she was put in a compromising position. “A guy came and just opened my car door while I was waiting at the 7-Eleven, and at the time I just reacted. I just screamed at him, and it shocked him and it freaked him out and he just left my car,” she said. “Prior to this experience I think I would have just panicked.”

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