In recent months, Birmingham and numerous other cities have seen a surge in crime. How is a woman to protect herself and those she loves?
In this first of a series, Phearthur Moore of Fairfield Taekwondo, offers practical advice for protecting yourself and your loved ones inside the home—and beyond.
“To avoid being vulnerable women should first make efforts to avoid people, places and things which may pose a threat to them,” Moore said. “They should also decide how they intend to defend themselves should things go wrong. This can be anything from keeping a cell phone handy to call the police to taking some type of self-defense course to learning to use some type of weapon. This is a personal decision, and different women will have different comfort levels when it comes to protecting themselves… Women should consult an attorney to learn what their rights and responsibilities are when it comes to defending themselves.”
Moore believes women can often be considered more vulnerable than men.
“I believe the most common mistake women make in protecting themselves is being too trusting of people and assuming that bad things will always happen to someone else and not to them,” he said. “Whether a woman has a significant other or not, no one will be with her 24 hours a day, therefore she is ultimately responsible for her own safety. A large part of self-defense is a mental process, so a woman can reduce her chances of becoming a victim through education. The more thought a woman gives to her personal safety, the more aware she will become of people and situations around her that may be a potential threat. Everything from how she carries herself to how she views the world around her will change.
“I believe the best way to defend yourself from an attack is to be mentally prepared,” he added. “Play what I call ‘what if’ games. Wherever women are, they can do this. Women should ask themselves ‘what if’ someone came in and started shooting? What would I do? Where would I go? Do I have other people I am responsible for protecting? How does this change my strategy? Am I willing to do whatever I need to do to survive? This is a personal question each woman should ask themselves before something bad happens. Answers may range from doing nothing to running, hiding or fighting back. No one may actually know for sure what they will do, but they are more likely to respond in a positive way if they have given previous thought to the question. Again, get legal advice.”
Moore said protecting yourself doesn’t have to be expensive.
“Women can learn some basic self-defense tactics on You Tube. While this is not the best way to learn, it is better than doing nothing. Books-A-Million has some good books on personal protection. Some of it will be common sense, however, it will get women thinking more intelligently about the subject.”
To learn more about Phearthur Moore and Fairfield Taekwondo, visit him at 5126 Valley Road, Fairfield, Alabama 35064, or call 205-903-8399.
