The Unanswered Call: The importance of self defense

By Hernan Guadalupe

Based on “Stranger Dangers” a report by NBC Today Show

The other day I watched a very shocking and disturbing video of an investigative report on the reaction of people if they witnessed a child being attacked and harassed by a stranger.

Before I saw it, my initial reaction was that people would automatically inquire or call the authorities, but much to my surprise that was not the case. The investigative team did a study to answer the question, “If you saw a child being kidnapped, would you help?” You would not believe how people reacted. A young actress was asked to pretend that she was being kidnapped while the undercover security guard, who was part of the investigative reporting crew, snatched and pulled her across the street yelling to her to keep quiet and go with him. The girl frantically yelled and pleaded for help, but no one answered her call.

People simply walked by as if nothing was happening. Some would look at the situation, but did nothing, not even phone for help. When asked why they didn’t intervene they said that they assumed that someone else would.

This is a frightening situation we are living in if this is the case. Can you imagine your child or teenager walking the street alone, coming home from school, and some stranger tries to harass or kidnap them? Imagine your child crying and screaming for help, but no one answers? As a parent, this is an alarming and serious situation. It makes me want to shelter my child from the illnesses of the world so much more. Although this is the ideal situation, we all know that it is not reality and one day they will have to walk alone, but as parents we can give them the tools they need to make sure they overcome any situation (Allah willing).

This leads to my main point which is the importance of teaching your children self defense. I don’t mean teaching them how to do front flips and leaping from building to building pumping side kicks, after all that only works in Hollywood. What I mean is teaching your children simple and effective techniques that can make the difference between life and possibly death (May Allah protect us).

The unfortunate reality is that we live in a crazy world and we have to take the necessary steps to be prepared for matters like this one. Encouraging our children to partake in self defense classes or martial arts classes will not only give your children the confidence they need, but also useful techniques to defend themselves from predators.

Based on this report, we can’t expect anyone to lend a helping hand and therefore we should make it a priority to equip ourselves and our children to face the challenges of the real world. Don’t think that because a man is a man that a child cannot defend themselves against them. Size, age, and strength are factors, but so are leverage, timing, and technique. These are key tools that can give anyone the advantage to come out ahead in any given situation. So go ahead, give yourself and your child the tools they need to succeed.

Taken from Aqabah Karate's Newsletter - Jan-March 2011