Quote Originally Posted by Python View Post
The eye contact is a very important one. Last year hubby and I were in town. He needed to get money out of the hole-in-the-wall. I'm always vigilant at these things - there's been too many muggings in our town at ATMs. While he was getting his money out, I clocked a rather unkempt youth standing about 15 yards away, watching my husband. I turned and glared at him. He slunk off and stopped about 30 yards away in the opposite direction. I glared at him again. He disappeared. We walked up round the corner of the street into the main shopping area and who do we see again (by this time I'd warned hubby), but the same youth. This time I glared at him again but said in a loud enough voice for him to hear "Oh, look. Here's the police". He took off.

When I trained in Karate, we were lucky enough to have extra lessons in Street Self Defence. Karate is very good for teaching you self-discipline etc. but that is in a Dojo where there is plenty of room to manouvre. Often situations arise in real life where you wouldn't have that luxury.

We were taught how to escape from someone who pounces on you from behind and puts their arm round your neck. Grab his little finger (the weakest finger) and break it. Yes break it. Don't be squeamish on that. He'll let go - you run like h*ll.

Grab his wrist and dig your thumb as hard as you can (nail preferably) into the soft part where the wrist meets the hand. There's a nerve in there. Try it on yourself and you'll see what I mean.

If you're wearing stilletto shoes, whack your heel right down his shin and embed the heel of the shoe in his foot. If you follow the shin down, you should embed the heel of the shoe in the right place. Ouch! That'll hurt him and give you time to make your escape.

If both your arms are free, elbow him in the gut. Use both arms. One to do the elbowing, the other to drive back the elbow doing the elbowing. Should knock the wind out of him.

If you can, grab him by the Family Jewels and twist HARD. He should go down. As he goes down, grab his head and drive your knee as hard as you can into his face. Then run.

Go for his eyes. Poke them hard. Again, don't be squeamish. Worry about that later. Even better if you have long nails. If he gets blinded that's HIS problem.

While doing any of the above, yell and scream like a banshee like Onimity says. Attackers don't like noise.

Above all, keep a cool and calculating head although that can be easier said than done.

There are other ways of disabling an attacker but these could kill (Onimity if she's a high enough grade in the Martial Arts will know what I mean).

With many attackers it is a power thing. Power over someone they perceive to be weaker than themselves.

That's what happened to me except I was a lot stronger than they perceived me to be and it turned the tables on them. They suddenly found out they'd bitten off far more than they could chew. I was lucky that night in that I knew how to defend myself, and I know how lucky I was. It could easily have had a different outcome.
Good tips. I do have to disagree in a way with the one about stiletto heels though--my advice would be DON'T WEAR THEM!! They may make a stomp to the foot extra painful for the creep, but they also hinder your ability to run and get the heck away from the situation (and not to mention they're just plain uncomfortable anyway). In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if wearing such shoes actually makes one more of a target, all other things being equal, because it's obvious that escape will be more difficult than for someone in flats or sneakers.