728x90
my iParenting
From Our Sponsors
e-newsletters
Sign up to receive our free weekly e-newsletters

new terms of use
new privacy policy
award-winning products
The iParenting Media Awards program helps parents find the best products for their families.
Home › Articles › Safety › Fighting Back

Fighting Back

Children in Martial Arts Save Lives

By Tenna Perry

Pages:  1  2  3  4  5  

Their request seemed simple enough, but Vicki told me later it was like a flashback to a karate class we had two years earlier in which we discussed the most common and effective ploys that child predators use. In fact, they used the same exact words, "My dog got out of the fence last night, and we haven't been able to find him anywhere. Have you seen a black lab running loose?"

The men took it to the next step and asked her to come over to the truck so they could show her a photo of the dog. By this time, Vicki was already backing further away from the road as she told the men she hadn't seen any dogs. While she knew her refusal to approach the truck wasn't the response these men were looking for, she was shocked when the driver opened his door and began approaching her. As she turned to run, he began his pursuit in earnest, and when he grabbed the neck of her T-shirt from behind, she froze in fear. It was only when he let go of the shirt and grabbed her wrist that her martial arts training took over and allowed her to escape. This escape wasn't achieved by following the time-honored advice of every girl's mother to "Kick them where it hurts the most," but by an actual martial arts technique that had been practiced so many times, it had become instinctual.

Within two weeks and a few blocks of Vicki's encounter, there was an attempted abduction of a 13-year-old girl who was out rollerblading with a friend. A fe days later, a 12-year-old girl was abducted, raped and left in a ditch many miles from home.


Pages:  1  2  3  4  5  


Want to see more?