GIRL POWER
The recent alleged murder of a woman by an ex-boyfriend is far from a unique event in Hawaii, so a young MidWeek reporter signs up for a women’s self-defense class. Thank you for taking an active role in your own survival,” Steve McLaughlin says to 18 class participants.
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it is to escape the clutches of an attacker. So with the adrenaline rush we got from bumping off a 200-pound man came the sobering facts McLaughlin shares as part of this 30-percent lecture, 70-percent physical training session.
“The statistics show that there are no absolute characteristics that identify an attacker,” he warns. “Any kind of person is capable - 2 percent of all assaults are done by other women!” Other statistics McLaughlin quotes are that one out of eight women in Hawaii will be assaulted at some point in their lifetimes; however, because only 30 percent of these crimes are reported, the numbers should be closer to one out of four women.
Possibly the most chilling fact is that most women are murdered over domestic arguments. In fact, domestic violence is the No. 1 source of murder and assault of women. Men, on the other hand, are mostly murdered over gambling and drugs. If a woman is involved with someone who abuses drugs and/or alcohol, there is a chance assault will follow - in 80 percent of all assaults, drugs and/or alcohol are involved on the part of either party. For more information and the latest statistics, visit www.fbi.gov and www.usdoj.gov/usao/hi/
With the rise in drug crimes (ice particularly) and the population in Hawaii, McLaughlin says there is now a greater need for this class than ever.
“There needs to be more done about this,” he passionately attests. “We’re doing our best, but we need to get the word out better. We need to get more women aware that they can do things like this and head off assaults.
“I’m amazed we need to have this class. We shouldn’t have to.”
But we do, and I’m glad I took the class.
Spots are still open for the Women’s Assault Prevention Course Feb. 24. For more information, call 351-3074, e-mail .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or visit www.pixi.com/~mcjitsu
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