HOUSTON – After a string of recent attacks at parks in our area, KPRC 2’s Re’Chelle Turner is digging into ways you can stay safe. She spent the day learning simple yet effective techniques you can use if you’re ever confronted.
Her first stop was Texas Krav Maga in Katy, where instructor Larry Escher says many students show up hoping to feel safer in today’s unpredictable world.
“So people come in sometimes after there’s been an attack or an altercation,” Escher explained. “But more often than not, they do it just to learn self-defense and to feel more confident in a chaotic world.”
Escher says training consistently is key.
“Well, like anything in life, you need regular training to get good at anything, and self-defense is no different. Size matters, strength matters, ability matters, weapons matter. All of these things matter,” he said. “But regular training can be an equalizer to make you better at self-defense.”
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He also shared a simple technique to remember if you’re grabbed from behind: focus on five key body parts.
“Eyes, ears, throat, fingers, groin,” Escher said. “Something is going to be within grabbing range. Whatever it is, grab it, twist it, bite it, strike it, something.”
Along with physical training, there are other tools available to help you defend yourself. Items like mace and personal alarms are easy to find at retail stores like Academy.
• Mace can be used to spray your attacker’s eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Personal alarms emit a loud noise to scare off attackers and alert others nearby.
• And if you own an iPhone, pressing the side button five times will activate Emergency SOS, automatically calling 911 and alerting your emergency contacts.
Re’Chelle’s final stop took her to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office Academy, where Deputy Alvarado talked about the department’s free self-defense program for women — known as R.A.D., which stands for Rape Aggression Defense.
“It’s a free program that we offer through the Sheriff’s Office,” said Alvarado. “But it’s free self-defense for women, basic self-defense. It’s not martial arts. It’s just for prevention and awareness.”
“This program is very important for women, especially with what we’ve been seeing on the news recently about the one in the park,” he continued. “It teaches them, gives them confidence, teaches them how to defend themselves, how to recognize a threat that’s coming their way and how to avoid that threat.”
Other safety tips include:
• Walk or jog with a friend
• Stick to well-lit, populated areas
• Carry personal protection like pepper spray or a whistle
• Stay aware of your surroundings
The Harris County Sheriff’s Office is offering free self defense classes through the R.A.D program. You can sign up through the department’s community engagement Facebook page.
After Turner’s story aired at 3 p.m., she received a call from Renee Battenburg. Renee and her husband Jeff run a non-profit organization called Arm Yourself with Confidence.
Renee says they’ve been offering free self-defense classes for decades, aiming to help women build confidence. The organization hosts a free class once a month—just call 281-360-5460 to reserve your spot.
The next classes are scheduled for August 23 and September 20, both from 2 to 4 p.m.
For more information, visit their website.