Women's Self Defense

JOSHUA, TEX. – The Joshua Seventh-day Adventist Church held a women’s self-defense course for the community and church members. “It’s about protecting yourself against the possibility of violence,” said Dennis Austin, Joshua church pastor. “We observe in our society how violence is increasing. This is not a violent form of defense. It’s a way to build the confidence to not become a target.”

By participating in community outreach programs, Austin has consistently found proactive ways to engage the church in community programs that promote awareness. In 2017, U.S. News & World Report stated that in Texas an average of 20 women are physically assaulted every minute. Considering the assaults mentioned do not occur in one location, but several, in five minutes, 100 women are assaulted. The outlook is grim as the 2018 statistics are only climbing.

“Women do not want to hurt anyone. Once we show them some different defensive moves, this program becomes life-saving. What we are teaching is practical defense,” said Billy Smith, owner and instructor at Billy Smith American Karate in Burleson, Tex. “These ladies are not apprehensive at all; they are ready to learn and become accountable for learning how to defend themselves. Even by improving the tone of their voice they can become assertive and intimidate their assailants. I am glad to see young people learning defense skills to avoid becoming a statistic.”

Article and photos by Dixil Rodriguez