SO WHO ARE WE?

“When I was in college, I spent a summer in Ethiopia and was walking home one night, a man got out of a taxi and grabbed me by my hair, forcing me into the cab. Luckily, I was able to kick the door back out before it latched. Still restrained by my hair, I tried to knee the man in the crotch. Unfortunately, he was very tall, and my knee didn’t reach high enough to hit the target. He laughed in my face, amused by my feistiness. But when he reached down to open the door to the cab again, I grabbed the Kat Klaws that I had on keys and punched him right in the gut as his face (and eyes) were just out of reach. It took him by surprise enough to give an opening to the cab driver, who up to this point was watching passively, to encourage him to tell him to leave me alone. Still reeling, but trying to save face, he got in the cab and drove away.

 

I am fortunate that the man wasn’t more determined. Little did I know that the little bit of training I received in college after buying Kat Klaws would have helped me. I remember buying it and testing it out on a test dummy they had available right in the store. I know that I would not have been as confident if I wouldn't have practiced using it time and time again. I felt the muscle memory of that training turn on, and I had the tools to adapt to the situation I was in. I can’t know what would have happened if I didn’t have that training, or if I would have found another way to defend myself, but in a country where violence against women is prevalent, the possibilities are not pleasant to consider. In an ideal world, no one would need to learn those skills, but of course, we don’t live in a perfect world, and I encourage everyone should learn some kind of basic self-defense, and if you can, buy Kat Klaws. It really does keep you safe.”