Women in peril.....raped, beaten and murdered by loved ones

Ann Jones is a journalist and the author of a groundbreaking series of books on violence against women, including "Next Time She'll Be Dead," on battering, and "Women Who Kill", a contemporary classic to be reissued this fall by the Feminist Press, with a new introduction from which this post is adapted. She serves as a gender advisor to the UN.

I came across the following article by Ann Jones on a blog entitled Truthout. It begins:.... "Wake up, America. The boys are coming home, and they're not the boys who went away........."

"On New Year's Day, the New York Times welcomed the advent of 2009 by reporting that, since returning from Iraq, nine members of the Fort Carson, Colorado, Fourth Brigade Combat team had been charged with homicide. Five of the murders they were responsible for took place in 2008 when, in addition, "charges of domestic violence, rape and sexual assault" at the base rose sharply. Some of the murder victims were chosen at random; four were fellow soldiers - all men. Three were wives or girlfriends. This shouldn't be a surprise..........." Read more..... http://tinyurl.com/d9ra5y
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Self Defense for Women

In a world where crime and violence are prevalent, it is extremely important that those, who may be at a disadvantage for being attacked, be able to exercise some control by learning strategies for defending themselves. One of the best ways to prepare yourself to fight off an attacker is to take a self-defense class. However, there are other strategies that may work just as well, with the idea in mind of de-escalating, rather than taking a chance of making things worse. The art of self defense includes much more than martial arts.

Those who are threatened and fight back "in self-defense" may actually risk making a situation worse. The attacker, who is already edgy and pumped up on adrenaline, may become even more angry and violent.

Self-defense actually means doing everything possible to avoid fighting someone who threatens or attacks you. Self-defense is all about using your smarts — not your fists. The best way to handle any attack or threat of attack is to try to get away. This way, you're least likely to be injured.

Not everyone agrees on the best method of self defense; however, most would agree that a little bit of knowledge can definitely be a dangerous thing when it comes to defending oneself. One intelligent approach to thinking about self defense is to adopt the 5 Ds: Decide, Deter, Disrupt, Disengage, and Debrief, with Disengage being the most important component.

Deciding not to be a victim is the first step, along with planning and preparing for what to do if you find yourself in this situation. Deter is a preventative step. Don't foolishly put yourself in situations where an attacker can find you alone, with no one else around. Use your intuition. Be aware of your surroundings, and assertive in your body language and appearance. Disrupt your attacker. Shock or surprise him by fighting with everything you have. Kick him in the groin, gouge his eyes, use whatever weapons or sprays you might have, attack your attacker, with the sole purpose of getting away. Disengage by carrying out an exit strategy. Finally, Debrief by confronting and discussing the aggression. Promote emotional and physical healing, seek legal advice, support and assistance (information contributed by Erik Kondo at not-me.org).