Self-defence experts have called upon women in Roodepoort to take precautionary measures or learn self-defence skills amid a growing number of reported rapes and femicides.
At the femicide imbizo held earlier this month, Arts and Culture Minister, Nathi Mthethwa, announced that the country’s femicide rate is five times higher than the reported global rate. Mthethwa further added that a woman is killed every eight hours in South Africa, with at least half of these deaths reported to be caused by an intimate partner.
Deon Smit, a self-defence expert from Roodekrans Krav Maga, said while it is impossible to offer a quick solution to femicide, women can increase their ability to protect themselves through self-defence and the enhancement of their awareness of their surroundings.
“We cannot offer a quick solution to crime or the killing of women and children. But we can encourage women to learn how to defend themselves. Knowing your basic self-defence tactics is becoming increasingly important as these techniques can be very useful in cases where one’s safety is compromised. The incidence of intimate femicide in our country is a serious concern. We need to encourage a societal dialogue about this as well,” he said.
Last year, there were about 189 000 new applications for protection orders by women, according to the Department of Correctional Services. Gauteng is registered as having the highest number of cases, followed by KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape.
Sanette Smit, a self-defence instructor who will be hosting a series of defence workshops for women, said a strong intuition is often the best sense to have in cases of potential danger.
“The best gift that women have is their intuition. It is very important that they learn how to use it. Women are generally able to sense if their safety is at risk. This happens when you realise that you are feeling uncomfortable with a particular situation. In self-defence classes, we are able to teach women how to rely on this intuition. But generally, if someone makes you feel uncomfortable – be it someone you know or someone who stops to offer you a lift – try your level best to remove yourself from the situation,” she said.
Here are Sanette’s top tips for women:
1. Don’t be naïve
The attacker is there to do you harm and nothing else. Sanette said a woman she once interviewed told her that an intruder slipped into the house while she was hanging her washing. “When the woman found him in her house he told her she needn’t worry – he only wanted to steal, not rape her, but he was nervous, which was why she had to allow him to tie her up. She agreed. The man cleared [out her house] and then came back and raped her. Don’t let an intruder trick you. Take action immediately.”
2. Use all your senses
Did you hear the car stopping behind you while you were walking home? Do the footsteps behind you sound strange? And if you hear something falling in the house do you assume it was the wind that knocked it over or do you prepare yourself for the possibility it could be a criminal? Make sure you’re not caught unawares and take note of the smallest details,” she said.
3. Don’t be afraid to use force on sensitive body parts
“These include the eyes, nose, ears, throat and between the legs, giving you enough time to get out of harm’s way.”
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