Daughter Off To College

Despite her mother and I teaching her things in the real world, my wife is in belief that a defense weapon is needed for our daughter. My spouse is looking to waste money on such items.

What is a decent defense item (she is not eligible at this moment for a hand gun) I should get to appease her mother's anxiety?

 

Lots of Jujuitsu lessons.

 

47martialman: doesnt it all come down to what is legal to carry around in your area/country..from a friend who is a Cop i would just state that peppersprays are NOT recommendable.

 

And thorough education on stats regarding how, where, and by whom, she is likely to be harmed.

 

She's going to college, the best way to protect herself is to surround herself with friends who will look out for her.

 

I've gone through that

My daughter started college 7 years ago. After 4 years as an undergrad and now just finishing her law degree after 3 more years... I still worry about her every day. Just like your daughter, she's an adult though a young adult. As parents, it's natural that we're going to worry about our kids. If you've taught her basic safety concerns at home she'll be fine. I gave my daughter a pepper spray canister when she started college and I don't think she ever carried it. She did heed some advice though. If she was out at night on campus she usually went in a group or at least with one other person. If it was real late and she needed to cross campus she could request an escort from campus security. It may be wise for her to take a phys ed credit like self-defense or martial arts if they offer it at her campus. One of the biggest concerns is excessive drinking, which is common place on campuses, but can get anyone into trouble... especially women. If she's going to go to a party on campus, she should make sure she has a friend or friends with her in case she over does it on the alcohol. That way they can make sure she gets back to her dorm safely after the party. We can only hope we've instilled enough basic knowledge and a sense of what's right from wrong in our children before they leave our homes for good.

 

A torch of similar dimension to a kubotan, such as a Streamlight 88039 ProTAC.

 

ar-15. considering that most of america is actually open carry, get her one of those. this will ensure no one comes near her.

 

The myth of the kubotan's magic powers, continues. The torch light itself is a more effective self defence tool than the casing.

 

Which with no actual skill or training is....a torch

 

Get her one of these

http://unbreakableumbrella.com/

It may not protect her physically if she cannot use it but will keep her dry with no training at all!

 

If you are stating that you are concerned that she might get attacked while away at school, the best way to neutralize and equalize an attack is to be armed. It is important to assume that if you are attacked, the attacker is armed. If the attacker is not armed, your assumption that he or she is puts you in a better position, because you will not be surprised in a negative way. They are armed, you are armed...there will be more than 1, train that way, so if there are not more than one, you are not at a disadvantage. If you think that unarmed fighting against attackers is the best way to go, you really need to revisit your priorities in training. If martial training is about protection first and foremost, one must instruct what will protect first and foremost.

 

This really betrays some ignorance as to what sort of threats someone is likely to encounter at college.

 

How is that?

 

I doubt he's sending her to college in war-torn Syria.

The main threats to her will be drunken frat boys and/or ingestion of booze/drugs.

A sensible approach to alcohol and the confidence to avoid peer-pressure are the best forms of self-defence at university.

 

Basic jits to deal with being put on the ground and to get used to body contact. Some MMA material on getting off the cage might be a useful analogue for being pushed up against a wall etc. Add a decent torch and drill 'flash, smash and dash' (Oooh, I like that - copyright BRD 2016!)

If you want to take it further I think the material and ideas Mercop puts out at Modern Combative Systems is pretty good. He makes a good case for using things that you can have in your hand (pens and torches) rather than having things that you need to deploy (knives in handbags for example). There's also some rather practical knife stuff and a preference for empty hands even where weapons can be carried. (Note - no affiliation I just found it very thought provoking and refreshing change from some of the nonsense out there)

 

So, a drunken frat boy, who is probably numbed up some will not be deterred by a weapon, and getting hit repeatedly with a weapon? And could it be that there is more than 1? Concerning the ingestion of booze...those are life lessons...it is also part of "protection"...how does one survive an ambush?

This has nothing to do with "war-torn Syria". This has everything to do with the fact that what is instructed has consequences...if we do not instruct people to act and to survive, if they are attacked, the likelihood of their surviving diminishes...do you want to be that person's "martial" instructor and know that you did not instruct someone optimally so they can survive an attack?

As martial instructors, we have a responsibility, and if we are not going to do everything we can to live up to that responsibility, we should call what we do "arts" and leave EVERYTHING martial out of the title.

 

Awareness and prevention are the key, but not to arm yourself does not make any sense at all. When a violent encounter occurs, what is the first thing the victim(s) say..."I didn't think it could happen to me." Kudos for the mother for trying to do what is best for her daughter. If the daughter understands that everything is a weapon, then she will never be unarmed. Perhaps one needs to define the word "martial"....The whole reason I train martially is to learn how to better protect myself.

 

College must have really changed, since my day...oh wait, I'm still there.

The biggest threat to female college students doesn't come from ninjas or commandos or the boogey man. It comes from the guy that just handed them a drink at a party and no amount of kubotan magic flashlights or telescopic batons or pepperspray are going to help you when you're passed out on the bed in a stranger's house.

Protective friends are your best weapon in that environment.

 

That is why protection is "personal" while defense is "self".

We instruct personal protection...protect what is personal.