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Self defence

_ Aknee to the groin,

YOU'RE A 5'4”* woman. You're
being threatened by a taller,
heavier, stronger man, What can
you do?

Plenty. Just cight pounds of
pressure can seriously hurt a
throat. Eyes make extremely vul-
nerable targets. And a kneecap
can come off if 20 pounds or
more of force is exerted. ,

That's how easy it can be to

--ward- off an attacker, explained

self-defence instructor Derrick

_ Rothermel at one of nine self

defence course held recently in
the northwest.

He and his wife Rita teach self
defence techniques to wamen,

high school students, and children -

to provide them with knowledge
and confidence.

Too often these people are the
victims of violent atlacks. But
despite their often small size, and
weaker muscular. strength, Rita
and Derrick stress they can elfec-
tively fight back.

“Tt doesn’t take much at all to
stop and disable someone,’” says
Derrick.

The husband and wife duo are
based in the Kamloops area and
teach others to defend themselves
using Goshin-do, Goshin-do is a
combination of Judo, Jujitsu,
Aikito and Shenzen Ryu Kempo
techniques, complied by Derrick.

~ He has been practicing martial

arts for 31 years, Rita for 11
years, Both are black belts.

_ Together they have taught ap-
proximately 180 workshops and
helped over 6,000 people.

And comments from past stu-
dents prove what an impact they
have made.

“Going through the steps of
self-defence made me feel in
charge of my life for the first

- time. Power!”

-.“]’ve learned that I am a human
being and I do not deserve be
beaten or bruised.”

One high school P.B. teacher
commented that ‘‘the self con-

. fidence and inner strength of the

girls increased on a daily basis.”’
Another teacher said ‘‘The girls

Tealized that they are not the

weaker sex, and that it is definite-

ly possible to stand up for oneself.

and be respected”? **

Derrick started teaching self

defence courses after his 32-ycar-
old sister was beaten to death in
her small. hometown on Van-
couver Island,

Prior ta her death, he had urged
her to take self-defence courses,

ee

just in case,

“But she always said, ‘I live in
a small town. I know everyone.
Who's going to hurt me? It can’t
happen to me.’... Well it did,”
says Derrick.

**We think she was followed by
a guy she met in a bar, We found
out later that this man survived by
raping and robbing women.”

But the majority of attacks on
women come from men they are
in relationships with, says Der-
rick.

Rita too has very personal rea-
sons for teaching self-defence. .
Her cousin was killed in the
Montreal Massacre, and her step-
father was a batierer.

At the women’s self defence
course Rita and Derrick held at

Northwest Community College,
they warned that no one can ever
be completely safe from danger,
but they can be safer.

There are practical measures
women can take to avoid poten-
tially dangerous situations (sce
Reducing risks). But if words
don’t work, and you find yourself
ia a dangerous situation where al-
tack seems imminent, ‘“you have
the right to defend yourself with
whatever force is necessary,’
says Rita.

The techniques they teach em-
phasize taking the attacker by
surprise, and quickly incapacitat-
ing him,

“‘He’s probably not going to
expect you to fight back,”’ says
Rita. “So take advantage of
that.”

“If you’ve ever had a
little kid give you an ac-
cidental headbuit, you
realize how much pain
even a kid can cause...
it doesn’t take much.”

Even a child or elderly woman
with a cane can use Derrick and
Rita's methods,

“TE you've ever had a litte kid
give you an accidental headbutt,
you realize how much pain even a
kid can cause... It doesn’t take
miuch,’’ says Rita; -* . :

**The human body is an amaz-
ing piece of machinery, but it has
a lot of flaws,’’ adds Derrick.

During the course they showed
their female students what to do if
a@ man were to slap them, punch
them, grab them, yank their hair

eteg ee

SELF DEFENCE FOR CHILDREN was a very popular workshop. Derrick and Rita Rothermel

ao

The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, June 21, 1995 - A&

fist to the nose

Be bi oe

ABOVE: A 105 lb woman can toss a 190 pound m

an, if she knows what she’s doing. Here black

beit Denick Rothermel shows Paula Walbauer how to break free in a vulnerable situation, and get
back in control. BELOW: After breaking her friend’s nose, this self-defence course student then
knees her in the groin. (All in good fun cf course.) Catching an attacker off guard with painful
moves was one of the key messages taught In the course.

or throw them on the ground.
First, you have to cause the at-
tacker immediate pain, hitting his
neck, nose, testicles or other vul-
ncrable areas. Then you have in-
capacitate him to a point where
he is on the ground. From there
you disable him so he cannot
chase you. Breaking the instep or
shin bone is Derrick’s choice.
These actions must be per-

formed in a quick sequence, be- .

fore the attacker has time to
recover.

It sounds cruel, but Derrick
adds that if your life or well being
is in danger, then the methods are
justified,

One of his students was forced
to use these techniques, but never
followed through to disable her
atlacker. He gave chase and
caught her — and fe didn’t
hesitate to hurt her,

“You have to give yourself
permission to defend yourself,”’
says Rita,

Students walking out of thé self

“defence couse at’ the ‘college
‘Idoked’ like they’d ‘given’ them-
selves that permission:

Jf you're interested in more in-
formation on self defence, contact
the Terrace Women’s Resource
Centre at 638-0228.

talked ta aver 50 Terrace children about being lost, drugs, strangers, who to trust, bullies and the
difference between good and bad touches, They also taught the children a few self defence technl-
ques in case anyone tried to hit them, or take them away, Here Derrick uses a dummy that the kids
can really wallop. "The dummy helps cut down on the brulses and broken ribs,” he says.

Reducing risks

Look Strong! Act Strong! Be Strong!
(Tips courtesy of Terrace Women's Centre)

MEETING PEOPLE — Be careful about people you don’t
know very well. Give your friendship a chance before you put
your trust in that person. A great number of sexual assaults are
carried out by an acquaintance.

BEING CLEAR — You can’t expect anyone to know how you
are feeling unless you tell them. If you feel uncomfortable in any
situation, tell the person you are with. Don’t let yourself get
cornered into an uncomfortable situation. If you don’t like
what’s happening, say so — loudly, and demand that they stop.

ALCOHOL AND DRUGS — If you’re going to use them,
make sure you ask yourself if you’re in control, and if you can
take care of yourself. Your best defense is your miad, and if
that’s not together, then you don’t have much of a chance.

POCKET MONEY — Whether you are out on a date, with
friends, or by yourself, make sure you have enough pocket
money to get home. You never know what’s going to happen,
and it’s a good way to be independent.

ON YOUR WAY HOME — Don’t broadcast that you might be
walking home alone. You can never tell who might hear and fol-
low you, If you can’t get a ride with someone you know well,
make sure you can find a safe way home.

DESERTED AREAS — Do you think that the places you walk

are safe? Are there houses close by? Is the area well-let? Nobody -

wants to walk around in fear, but it’s a good idea to think chead
and maybe change some of your routes so that you feel safe.
This might lessen the chance of an assault.

AT HOME — Women have been attacked in the ‘‘safety” of
their own homes, so make sure yours is safe. Lock the windows
and doors, and don’t let anyone in who you don’t know. If some-
one wants to use your phone, offer to make the call for them. A
number of reported rapes have been committed by men posing as
service people, Ask for identification. Don’t be afraid to trust
your feelings.

DON’T PANIC — Your best defense is your own intelligence.
If you panic, you will be confused and won’t be able to think. If
you try to keep “‘coal,’’ as hard as it may be, you will be-more
able to think, wait for the right moment, and then make a move

to get away, It’s sometimes possible to talk: your way out of a

situation by looking someone straight in the eye and voicing how
you feel assertively, pe ag

CORRESPONDENCE
FOR THE TERRACE STANDARD

The
Mail Bag

Wake up,
World

Dear Sir;

I wanted to get the following
poem in as soon as possible.

When someone has a broken
arm or gets physically hurt in
some manner family and/or
friends will take the person to
get help,

Ifa person is sick in bed the
person will receive flowers,
cards, prayers, chicken soup
and foods,

Yet if someone needs help
mentally he doesn't have the
same support. Yes, there are
counselors and help to b
received — but its still a
‘Hush, Hush. Let’s keep it in
the family.”' Or “Let’s not talk
about it.’”

It’s an embarrassment to the
world — the average family —
because of their selfish attitude
— “Somewhere I’ve failed.’?

So the person who is scream:
ing out for help, in all different
ways, receives a big ‘“‘pull

your socks up. You can do it”
‘I did — don’t be all
) wimp/crybaby.”*

They avoid the issue that
maybe they’re needed for sup-
port and they can’t give it.

The person doesn’t really
want to die and he’s not trying
fo pull a guilt trip on the family
— he’s just not as strong as
some others are.

For whatever overload he’s
had his coping mechanism
snaps; he can’t cope any more.

So when his iast plea is a
bullet or pills or driving off
into something the ones he
reached out to are probably
bringing physically friends
chicken soup and flowers.

Wake up, World! Quit treat-
ing the mentally ill with kid
gloves. Depression and other
mental problems should be
helped as much as any physical
illness andagopen,
" It shouldn’t bé‘an einUatiass-
ment to. then: any. morethahca:
person. with. -a -‘bad-. cold - ar
broken arm, unless they
woulda’t reach out to help the
ones who need help and who
later committed suicide.

Deena MacKenzie,
Terrace, B.C.

Don’t let it
bother you

People lecture to others
who've tried

‘Suicide’s the chicken's way
out,”’ ot

Not realizing the hours
and his hurting

Naive to what it’s all about

Not knowing how
hard he tied to

While told, ‘Don’t let it bother
you!”

The insensitive people looked
other ways

While suicidal tendencies
BROW”

He didn’t really want
to die

But just put an end to his pain
so he could

Wake up and live his tomorrow
with the happiness

He'd earlier feigned,

Stories helped

Dear Sir: :

I was pleased to see the
‘stories you printed about
depression this week. My heart
Zo0¢s out to the people who suf-
fer from depression and the
families of the ones who do
not survive it. ,

There are many people suf-
fering in silence in this town
and hardly anyone understands
what they are going through. It
is very isolating for them and
their families, .

You have helped them im-
mensely by recognizing the
problem of having a serious
disease cloaked in secrecy.

To broach a taboo subject
like mental illness is
courageous itself, But you cov-
ered it in a warm, intelligent
and informative manner.

It is unfortunate that you will
probably never know the mul-
tiude of positive effects
brought about by factual, com-
passionate stories like that.

. The’ author deserves an
award.
Mrs. B. Lowell,

Terrace, B.C,