Self Defense Training Prepares Girls For a Sad Reality
Self defense lessons during P.E. classes hope to prepare female students for any danger they may face.
More stories from Madelyn Chassay
Marine Jason Moxley, senior Natalie Ivins, junior Natalie Nielsen and Marine Tommy Langbein posing after self defense training.
Between 15 and 76 percent of women are targeted for physical and/or sexual violence in their lifetime.
Worldwide, up to 50 percent of sexual assaults are committed against girls under 16.
In the United States, 83 percent of girls aged 12 to 16 experienced some form of sexual harassment in public schools.
An estimated 150 million girls under the age of 18 suffered some form of sexual violence in 2002 alone.
The UN Council for Women compiled these statistics, and they feel it is time for these statistics to change.
On Wednesday, Oct. 22 and Thursday, Oct. 23, all female students from Antioch Community High School were pulled from their physical education classes to have a lesson in self defense. The lessons were instructed by United States Marine and ACHS alumnus Jason Moxley and Marine-in-training Tommy Langbein.
“I hope they learn basic self defense techniques. Even greater, I want them to learn intangible skills such as endurance, team work and integrity,” said Moxley.
Moxley and Langbein instructed basic lessons for what to do in case of being attacked by someone. Whether the attacker is using their hands, a knife, or a gun, students were taught what to do in all situations. After Moxley demonstrated a defense move on Langbein, the girls were split into groups to practice on each other. The girls were taught defense moves such as how to take down an attacker from the front, side, or behind, how to get out of a choke hold, how to properly kick or elbow an attacker and how to disarm an attacker. They practiced these moves with punching pads, fake knives and fake guns.
Junior Natalie Nielsen and senior Natalie Ivins practicing how to disarm an attacker.
“Hopefully, they [the girls] get a first exposure on how to defend themselves if need be. So that they are capable of doing it [fighting off an attacker],” said Langbein.
Physical education teachers also participated in some of the training. The teachers view this training as essential for girls, especially those going away to college.
“[The training is to learn] how to defend off an attacker and to stand up for themselves to quickly get away from a dangerous situation,” drivers education and physical education teacher Heather Coleman said.
At the beginning of their training, almost every girl was asked what they would do if they were about to be attacked. Most answered they would freeze and/or try to run away.
By the end of their training, almost every girl said they would be willing to fight for their lives.
After the final day of training, junior Natalie Nielsen said, “I feel more protected now for when I go to college.”
Now that more girls are educated on self defense, hopefully the statistics of women being attacked will progressevily decrease.