Author – Penny B.
The thing I love about our company name (LaBCaF), is what it stands for…Legs and Brains-Claws and Fangs. When I think about this it tells me, as a woman, that there are so many options available to keep me safe. It helps me remember that being safe is not only about having the physical stamina or training to fight my way out of bad situations. For me, there have been many moments where I just didn’t feel confident that I could physically overpower an assailant. Learning about the “Brains” part really helps me remember there is so much I CAN do.
The “Brains” part of the classes we provide is all about giving you information and techniques to help you think your way through life in order prevent getting into bad situations. But what happens if I’ve done all of that and still end up in a compromised position? I still get to use my Brain to think it through, and when possible use my Legs to follow through with the actions needed to take me to safety.
One of the things I have now implemented in my life is to look at the current situation I am in and ask myself, “what could I do if something bad happened right now?” For instance, walking through a parking lot has always made me feel uncertain and a little nervous. When playing this “what if” game, I asked myself how to make this situation a bit safer. I came up with my own safety plan.
I now stop in the safety of my locked car and look around me before I get out. I look to see who or what is around me to bring my awareness level up to a degree so that I can react if needed. Then after assessing my immediate surroundings as I walk through the parking lot, I look for ways of escape if a bad person did approach me, I also look for the most lighted parking area and the safest avenue to the entrance of wherever I’m going. These are small adjustments to my behavior, but I can tell you that I walk taller, I feel more confident, and I know that I give off the vibe that I am not an easy victim.
I read an article the other day about a woman who found herself and her children in a very scary situation. She was being held hostage by her boyfriend who was threatening violence, he had taken her phone away so she couldn’t reach out for help, and she had her children with her, which minimized her options of running away. This ordeal went on all day, she kept thinking, she kept looking for a way to escape safely. She finally found it through a pizza delivery! For the entire article, go here. http://www.thejournal.ie/pizza-hut-woman-hostage-2087388-May2015
I applaud this woman. She kept her thinking cap on, she used her brain and she kept looking for a way to escape. She found it through a day to day activity – ordering pizza! She kept herself safe, she kept her children safe. She found victory! Congratulations Cheryl Treadway on your quick thinking!
Penny B.
