The SEPS Approach To Female Self Defense & Self Protection
The situations that men and women find themselves in, where personal safety is an issue, are very, very different: aggressors don't always
identify themselves as such and their motives are often very different to those that men face. Added to this the type of physical attacks
women face are more likely to be ones aimed at control and limiting movement whereas men, normally face attacks that are aimed solely at
physical punishment.
These are generalizations, not definitions but they largely represent the different forms of violence that men and women face.
This is before other more basic factors regarding self protection are faced: such as the differences between men and women’s 'mental states'
regarding violence along with simple factors such as the difference in mobility that the clothes they wear allow e.g. simply advocating that
women should run away from violence ignores the fact that they may be in heels and a pencil line skirt.
Also, there are other considerations e.g. how should a woman act if she has a young child or baby present. These 'third parties' may well
'compromise' solutions that would otherwise seem sensible.
Presenting women with a list of what to do and what not to do is simplistic and unrealistic (if another self defense website feels the need to
give the advice of 'not to walk down an unlit street', they should take a step back and examine a) the need to state the obvious and b) whether
there are in fact times when this is the best policy e.g. when a riot is occurring on the well lit street ahead).
Considering The Differences Between Male & Female Self Defense
The situations that women are involved in are often very different to those that men face and these differences should be considered in any self
defense/self protection training.
One of the main differences is that of 'threat analysis'. SEPS talks about 'ambushes' but it also refers to a more specific form of ambushing
called 'grooming'.
An ambush is simply a situation where an aggressor doesn't inform or display the fact that they have aggressive intentions (it is very much a
characteristic of a predatory attack – with women often that of a sexual predators attack). A simple ambush would be that of an attacker/aggressor
asking for the time/money and then making their attack whilst their 'victim' was distracted.
Grooming is a more involved and complex form of ambush, though its motive is exactly the same: to disguise the aggressors/attackers intent.
The aim of grooming is not just to create a distraction but build trust. When trust has been established an aggressor can start to get their
target to hand over control. Control is at the heart of 99% of predatory actions. Even in sexual assaults/crimes the driving force is not that of
sex but of control: sexual actions are the form through which control is expressed.
Grooming, takes on a form/structure which is the same, whether it is that used by the pedophile or that used by the rapist or individual who
wishes to exert some form of sexual control which is on unequal terms (a very broad and perhaps morally but not legally accurate form of rape).
It is naive to suggest that such individuals are easy to identify (most are socially skilled – why they haven't been caught – and practice their
skills 100% of the time. We however don't invest – neither should we have to – our whole lives trying to identify them) however the methods they
use are identifiable as they are consistent and repeatable.
SEPS does teach the individual how to deal with the physical situation but it also teaches the individual how to identify and recognize predators
through the tools they use and have exit strategies, to avoid the need to use physical force..
Out of men and women, women probably have the greatest success at physically dealing with aggressive attackers, when they have received no
'formal' martial arts or self-defense training. This is especially true, when children have been present. I would bet my mortgage and pension
on any woman who has to defend her children against an attacker threatening on them. This is a recognized maternal instinct that runs throughout
the natural world.
Women have it in them to beat any man and any number of aggressors, if taught to adopt the correct mindset and reasoning patterns.
SEPS ams to teach the awareness and 'negotiation' skills that makes this possible as well as the physical techniques and mindset if such events
should turn physical.
Contact Us About Self Protection Programs
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please feel free to contact us. Our detailed on our contact page
