Plain Dealer: Women embracing martial arts

07/19/03
Molly Kavanaugh
Plain Dealer Reporter

Oberlin- In a warm second-floor dance studio on the Oberlin College campus, Jen Resnick scampered across the floor, demonstrating how to use a knife for self-defense.

About 300 women from the United States, Canada and elsewhere are attending the four-day camp, which is held at a different college each summer. The students, ranging in age from 6 to their 60s, are both beginners and black-belt holders who come to improve their art and for female fellowship.

The National Women's Martial Arts Federation began in 1976 to give women a safe and supportive place to learn martial arts. The discipline, which includes karate, aikido and many other styles, has long been dominated by men, but it is growing in popularity with women seeking self-defense.

OFCC PAC Commentary:
There is obviously a great deal of interest in self-defense among Ohio women. But are the martial arts the best defense against an attacker?

Julia Cochrane, in a commentary written for A-Human-Right.com, has this to say of the martial arts and self-defense for women:

Click on the "Read More..." link below for more.

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"I'm 5'2" and after taking martial arts for 3 years (after being raped, as a way of preventing it happening again) I learned that a 5'2" female martial artist is no match for a 6'2" male martial artist, and other assorted real limitations of martial arts. So I got a gun and learned to shoot and got my concealed carry permit. And was glad to have that gun when a thug tried to follow me up the stairs into my apartment one afternoon when, due to a holiday, I was home early and the place was otherwise deserted. I didn't have to actually draw on him, confronting him verbally got him to go away, but I was 7 months pregnant and it was a very near thing and as a result of my "delicate condition" martial arts wouldn't have done me a bit of good.

I have no idea if I'd have been less confident in confronting him if I hadn't known I had a gun concealed but in easy reach for a fast draw if needed.

I'm "attracted to guns" because for a little tiny woman like me, my having a gun can mean the difference between my being raped and murdered, or my surviving an attack unscathed to go home to my family that night.

Living through a rape was bad enough the first time. I don't intend to let it happen again."

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