Child Abduction - What Every Parent Should Know...

Attempted child kidnapping or abductions have been in the media recently. In the past week alone, I have come across 3 attempted kidnappings in the Pretoria area alone.  

Take a look at this attempted kidnapping in Pretoria, South Africa on 7 July 2014:

In this footage, you will notice how brazen the abductors have become by turning their trade in broad daylight and in a public area.

According to South Africa’s Missing Persons Bureau, in 2013, a child went missing every five hours in South Africa. This adds up to a total of 1697 missing children in 2013. Fortunately, according to Missing Children South Africa (MCSA) statistics, 77% of children are found. Sadly, this still leaves us with at least 23% of the children not being located.

MCSA is an organization that is dedicated to creating greater awareness of missing children in South Africa and aims to support the South African Police Service (SAPS )as effectively as possible when a child goes missing.

In their reports, they group the reasons that children go missing into 5 categories: Runaways; getting lost; parental abduction; stranger abduction and unknown.

Although all 5 categories are of equal importance, the focus of this blog will be on “stranger abduction”, where the child is taken from the parents/guardians care without their permission, by somebody not known by the family.

People kidnap children for various reasons:

• Cannot have children of their own;
• Lost their own child;
• Reason for revenge;
• Financial benefit;
• Human Trafficking (sex, drugs, etc.)

According to the International Labour Organisation it is estimated that 1.2 million children are trafficked each year. Furthermore, 32 billion dollars profit is generated annually from Human Trafficking.

Although MCSA states clearly in their reports that their figures are only based on cases reported to MCSA and do not reflect all the cases reported to SAPS, due to a lack of other empirical data, we will assume that their figure is a representation of the South African environment.  In their June 2015 media release, the estimated number of stranger abductions was 1.27% of all the missing children. 

Using the 2013 figure of 1697 missing children (assuming there has been no increase, however, chances are they have been), this translates to approximately 22 cases of abductions by a stranger.

To put in perspective, the “UK Child Abduction Hub“reported a total of 58 cases of abductions by a stranger per in their 2014/2015 findings.

However, even more shocking is the US data: according to “Child Find of America”, in 1999, 2300 children went missing every day in the United States or approximately 840 000 children per year. Of this figure, 58 200 were under the stranger abductions category. This translates to almost 160 children abductions per day!

Should we want to translate those figures into comparable ratios (by dividing the total number per annum by the total population of each country, then multiplying by 100 000), the ratio of abductions by a stranger per 100 000 people are:

• South Africa:  3.2
• UK:  0.1
• USA:  18.3

Although, these ratios may show that we (South Africa) may not be the highest of the pool, there is growing concerns as these child abductions appear to be on the increase lately (as per the news reports).  In fact, according to Crime Stats SA, kidnapping as  crime category has been on a sharp increase since 2008.  Unfortunately, it is not possible to know what percentage of this trend is related to children only.

To see how easily a child can be manipulated into going away with a stranger, watch this video clip of a social experiment done in America where the hosts attempts to draw the child away using a puppy.

What can be done to prevent your child from being abducted? 

“Child Find of America” suggests 10 Ways to Protect Your Child:

1. Tell your child about the abduction problem in a calm, simple way as if teaching any other important coping skill.
2. By age five, your child should know the names for private parts of the body, know the difference between "good touch" and "bad touch."
3. Teach your child his or her full name, address, telephone number (including area code), and how to dial  "911" for help or "0" for operator (the South African equivalents would be the SAPS, “10111”, or cell phone helpline, “112”).
4.  Keep your child in sight at all times.  Most abduction occurs within a few blocks of the victim's home - even their own front yard - when the child is left alone and unsupervised (although not as applicable in South Africa, our shopping centres/malls seems to be the abductors’ preferred target areas).
5. Adults rarely ask children for directions or help.  Teach your child that if this happens, they should ignore the person asking and go home or to another safe place.
6. Teach your child that a stranger is anyone they don't know well.  Strangers can be kind and friendly, but they are still strangers.
7. Do not purchase clothing or school supplies with your child's name on them.  Knowing a child's name is a way for an abductor to establish a rapport with a child.
8. Teach your child that it is okay to run away and scream if someone is making them do something they don't want to do.  They should then go and tell you or a trusted adult what happened.
9. Never leave your child alone in a car or unattended in a supermarket or shopping mall. Teach your child to go to the nearest store clerk for help if you get separated.
10. Take head-and-shoulder photos of your child at least once a year.

Furthermore, some great advice from a South Africa, organisation, Advance Conflict Training (ACT), is to create age appropriate games and give each game a name. The name will trigger the safety habit that you want your child to remember. For example the "Safe Word" game. Have the child make up a safe word that you can give to friends who may pick your child up from school. Roll play the "Safe Word" game with your child (i.e. pretend that you have come to pick him/ her up from school). Make up a convincing reason for you having to pick up the child but pretend you don't know the Safe Word. Your child should refuse to go with you. Play this game regularly using different stories and sometimes giving them the Safe Word.

Lastly, at a recent event, I taught a group of school children aged between 7 and 12 years old the “You’re a STRANGER, I’m in DANGER!” song.  A simple, fun, and effective song-based method that teaches a child how to identify a stranger; how to use their voice and words as a deterrent; how to execute some effective self-defence techniques; how to report the incident and; how to escape the immediate threat.

All this can be taught in this simple song:

 “You’re a STRANGER, I’m in DANGER!

I’ll scream and shout

I’ll kick and run

I’ll tell someone

I’ll dial “10111”

Agggggggg (Run and scream as loudly as possble)”

Watch the “You’re a Stranger, I’m in Danger!” song:

Keep your children safe out there.

Till next time.

Get EDUCATED. Feel EMPOWERED. Live a FULLY-ENGAGED life.

Warren Ho

Founder of Defence Unlimited

www.defence-unlimited.com

Defence Unlimited offers self-defence programs to groups both large and small that are topic-specific that cater for beginner and experienced practitioners alike. Our programs and workshops will leave you educated, empowered, and ready to live a happier and fully-engaged life!

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References:

Missing Children South Africa (MCSA) is an organization that is dedicated to creating greater awareness of missing children in South Africa and aims to support the South African Police Service (SAPS )as effectively as possible when a child goes missing.  www.missingchildren.org.za

UK Child Abduction Hub is a national hub for information on child abduction, which is operated by Parents and Abducted Children Together (PACT). www.childabduction.org.uk

Child Find of America Inc. is a national not-for-profit organization that provides professional services designed to prevent and resolve child abduction and the family conflicts that can lead to abduction and abuse. www.childfindofamerica.org

Advance Conflict Training (ACT) offers comprehensive personal protection programs include Corporate Programs, Women’s Safety Programs, Family Safety Programs and Kid’s Safety Programs. www.advancedconflict.com

CHILD ABDUCTION (Social Experiment) - Child Predator by JoeySalads: https://youtu.be/gGIDHrYKJ2s

Attempted Kidnapping in Pretoria, South Africa 7 July 2014 by Crime Watch: https://youtu.be/ay8QIFFnAgk

Crime Stats SA: http://www.crimestatssa.com

News reports:

http://citizen.co.za/849027/attempted-kidnappings-rock-pretoria/

http://rekordeast.co.za/69755/yet-more-attempted-child-kidnappings/

https://www.issafrica.org/pubs/CrimeQ/No.14/Pharoah.htm

Population figures used for the ratio calculations (as per the World Bank):

SA 52.98 million (2013)
UK 64.1 million (2013)
USA 318.9 million (2014

WHY IS SOUTH AFRICAN CRIME SO VIOLENT?

"A violent offender who engages in armed violence presents the danger to others, and is what gives the current epidemic of violent crime in SA its most malevolent edge."

The South African 2014/2015 crime statistics were released on 29 September 2015 by the South African Police Service (SAPS).

Murder, as defined by the South African law as the unlawful and intentional killing of another human being, had increased yet again. There were a total of 17805 murders over the period 1 April 2014 and 31 March 2015. This translates to almost 49 murders per day. 

Furthermore, there were almost as many attempted murder cases (17537), the unlawful act with the intention of killing another human being but which does not result in the death of that human being, which in turn works out to 48 people per day.

To put it into perspective with the rest of the world, the murder rate per 100 000 was 33, five times higher than the 2013 global average of 6,2 murders per 100 000. In 2012, the South African murder rate per 100 000 was 31. 

For other countries, the murder rates indicators are (as per the World Banks's 2012 data) as follows:

- Australia (1,1)

- Brazil (25,2)

- UK (1)

- New Zealand (0.9)

- SIngaore (0.2)

- USA (4.7)

The reason this murder rate indicator is so important is that the murder number reported is probably close to the actual number committed and is an indicator of a country’s stability – the higher it is, the less stable a country is likely to be.

This high murder rate and attempted murder rate is an indication of the deadly violence used in SA crime.

But why is this so?

In February 2007 the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation was asked by the South African government to carry out a study on the violent nature of crime in South Africa. The study resulted in the production of seven reports completed over the period June 2007 to April 2009. Out of those reports, 5 main reasons were established:

1. A problem of armed violence linked to a subculture of violence and criminality. 

Many young men in South Africa have resorted to a "criminal career" that ranges from individual rapists and robbers, to being part of a larger crime syndicate or groups. Furthermore, in order to maintain credibility in this "profession", they have to resort to using extreme violence when carrying out their crime, very often with a weapon of sort (a knife and/or gun).

2. Inequality, poverty, unemployment, social exclusion and marginalisation. 

Unfortunately, many of these social issues are still very prominent within the South African society. Research has shown that societies with high levels of inequality tend to have high levels of violence, and hence directly increases the rate of crime.

3. Vulnerability of young people linked to inadequate child rearing and poor youth socialization. 

The childhood experiences of many children and young people in South Africa involve multiple levels of adversity including poverty, unstable living arrangements, absent, indifferent or violent fathers and alcohol or other substance abusive parents or relatives. Research has shown that these conditions could increase a child's probability of become involved in criminality and violence later on in life.

4. Perceptions and values related to violence and crime. 

Over the years, due to political and social issues, South African's have become very ambivalent towards crime and the law. Furthermore, perhaps due to the frequency of violence in our communities, a belief has come about that violence is a necessary and justified means of resolving conflict or other difficulties.

5. Reliance on the Criminal Justice System (CJS). 

There has been a heavy reliance on the CSJ, which has unfortunately become plagued with inefficiency and corruption. Because of this, the SA prisons are not conducive for criminal rehabilitation; they worsen the behaviour of the inmates and consolidate their place in a criminal network.

On point 4, Dr Chandre Gould, a senior researcher at the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), further clarifies that because of the South African political history, there was little reason prior to 1994 that South Africans would respect the law. This was because the law were unjust and intended to entrench white domination. In addition, the security forces, particularly the police, were used by the state to ensure that all South Africans lived in in fear of the state, regardless of their race.

Dr Goud further states that while our laws have substantially changed for the better post 1994 as our Constitution protects the rights of all South Africans and establishes the principle that all are treated equally before the law, in practice this has been very difficult to achieve. It would seem that those with access to wealth and power have greater privileges in a court of law than those who don't.

Unfortunately, violence and crime in South Africa seem to go hand in hand and is one of those reasons that many South Africans have fled to other less violent and crime-infested countries.

As a South African living in South Africa, I feel it is our responsibility to take the necessary precautions to ensure we safeguard ourselves and our loved ones against this violence and crime. Many will do so by employing additional security at their homes and business such as high-walls, electric fences, CCTV cameras, armed-response, and so on - it is the South African way. However, should someone ask me what security measure they should implement for themselves, I would recommend training in some practical self-defence system, so that should anything happens, they would be able to take care of themselves and their loved ones.

Given all that has been written so far - crime stats, research and precautionary advice - it is very easy to become extremely fearful or frustrated with the current situation and could even lead to paranoia. 

This is why self-defence training is so vital. Self-defence training gives one the ability to manage those fears and frustrations. Furthermore, with consistent training and application, it builds 3 vital characteristics in the practitioner, namely, self-confidence, resilience and discipline. All this training provides a foundation for one to be able to live their life to the fullest. For South African's who want to make a difference in this country despite its crime issues, they cannot afford to let their potential be wasted because of it. Hence, this foundation that self-defence training can provide is vitally important to help them move forward in their mission.

For a more comprehensive look at the 2014/2015 SA Crime Statistics, download the FREE REPORT by clicking HERE.

Till next time.

Get EDUCATED. Feel EMPOWERED. Live a FULLY-ENGAGED life.

Reference:

 https://africacheck.org/2014/09/17/comment-why-is-crime-and-violence-so-high-in-south-africa-2/

 http://www.sapeople.com/2015/09/29/eish-south-african-crime-stats-are-not-looking-fab/

 https://www.issafrica.org/crimehub/uploads/SA-Crime-Stats%E2%80%932015-Murder-and-robbery-fact-sheetV2.pdf.

 https://www.saps.org.za 

https://www.issafrica.org/crimehub/uploads/CSVRstatement091110.pdf
https://africacheck.org/2014/09/17/comment-why-is-crime-and-violence-so-high-in-south-africa-2/

Traditional Martial Arts Is Still Relevant For Modern Day Self-Defence Training

Recently, I had the privilege of training with Dr Yang Jwing Ming*, renowned author and teacher of Chinese martial arts and Qigong and founder of Yang’s Martial Arts Association (YMAA) that has 45 schools in 18 different countries.

The seminar specifically was on the Tai Chi pushing hands, aka "Tui Shou" or "Sensing Hands". Pushing hands is an exercise that can be performed by two people who are attempting to improve their Tai Chi skills of remain balanced, focused and relaxed while in motion.

What impressed me most was both Dr Yang's incredible in depth knowledge of the subject as well as his ability to apply that knowledge into his movement. I felt quite honored when he did the one basic exercise with me, and I was totally in awe of the energy that I felt when performing the exercise with him!

Unfortunately, due to the limited nature of the seminar, I was only exposed to three of the four major "Jìng patterns" (or basic movements or martial power movements) that have become the four major crucial foundations of the Tai Chi  art -  Péng , Lǚ and Jǐ. The fourth is Àn

"Peng" is to ward off, "Lu" is to roll back, "Ji" is to Squeeze or press and "An" is to push or press down.

But the article at hand isn't to go into any further details about these and the other concepts and theories that make Tai Chi an effective means of fighting. Rather, my aim here is to highlight how many of our modern self-defence concepts and practise is actually derived from the traditional martial arts. In my opinion, all martial arts were at one stage very effective in their means of defending the practitioner from whatever threat was prevalent at the time. Furthermore,  it may not have been as stylized and ritualized as many have become today. Rather, it was scrappy, undisciplined, and excluded many of the high moral value benefits and practices that they have evolved into as society had progressed. Martial "arts" became much more than just their physical applications, and became a way of living a life with discipline and encouraged personal development and the cultivation of ones spirituality.

Self-defence on the other hand, has been something that has had to keep up with the threats that modern society has created or evolved into. Whether it be the way the criminal minds now thinks due to the perversion of violence and crime than one is now exposed to in the news and in various entertainment mediums; to the actual decline in respect and value of human life that that comes when crime and criminals are left unchecked in civil societies.

What I again am stressing, is how concepts such as "peng", "Lu", "Ji" and 'An" of Tai chi, can still benefit the modern day self-defence training. Using my simplistic explanation, "Peng" is to ward off an attack as it comes towards me; "Lu: is to roll back and neutralize an attacker if the force is too great; "Ji" is to squeeze or press an attacker when he/she gets in a position that I am able to be able to neutralize his/her attack; and lastly, "An" is to press or push down an attacker when the opportunity presents itself.

I can imagine hard-core Tai Chi practitioners grimacing at my explanation above, however, please do feel free to read Dr Yang's explanation in greater detail at these 2 links: http://ymaa.com/articles/2015/03/about-pushing-hands-part-1 & http://ymaa.com/articles/2015/03/about-pushing-hands-part-2.

Tai Chi training and Martial arts in general is a long and difficult path to follow. As one senior student at the YMAA SA** centre pointed out at the seminar, their martial arts student base at their training facility has been on the decline, and people such as myself that teach "self-defence" seem to be on the increase. The fact is that many people find martial arts and the disciplined practise thereof very difficult to maintain due to work and personal commitments. People don't seem to have enough time to partake in a long extended training sessions that span over years and years, and rather seek something that is a "quick-fix" that  will allow them to gain some skill in which they can learn and apply in a relatively short space of time. Let me also state that, although I am a supplier of "quick-fixes", it is by no means a substitute for consistent practise and training, and I make that very clear in all my products and services. However, what I do believe is, for self-defence and personal safety, just by creating a greater awareness and consciousness in society, it will motivate enough people to take action to do something to ensure the safety of themselves and their loved. This is the first step in creating a more harmonious society that will reduce and crime and in future, the need for self-defence.

In my opinion, we have gone full circle as to what those ancient masters of the traditional martial arts masters set out to do – to create a more harmonious society. The took their primal instincts to protect themselves; devise methods in which to protect themselves; applied it on the battlefield to see if it worked and ensure its effectiveness and relevance; started teaching it as a system so that more people could defend themselves too; collectively stated to action to drive crime of of their society; eventually evolved to a more harmonious society; saw the decline of their styles deadly application; and hence develop their "style" into a personal development art.

Perhaps we are at those early stages yet again, and the utopia we all so fondly seek, is not too far away.

Many thanks to again to Dr Yang Jwing Ming for reminding me of the value traditional martial arts can still bring to all of us, martial artists and safety conscious citizens alike. 

Get EDUCATED. Fell EMPOWERED. Live a FULLY-ENGAGED life.

* Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming, is a renowned author and teacher of Chinese martial arts and Qigong. Born in Taiwan, he has trained and taught Taijiquan, Qigong and Chinese martial arts for over forty-five years. He is the author of over thirty books, and was elected by Inside Kung Fu magazine as one of the 10 people who has "made the greatest impact on martial arts in the past 100 years." Dr. Yang lives in Northern California. For more information, please visit: www.ymaa.com  or www.ymaa-retreatcenter.org

** YMAA in South Africa can be found at this website: www.dragonspirit.co.za

*** Warren Ho is the founder of Defence Unlimited and is passionate about teaching effective and relevant self-defence that addresses the crime and criminals that are within our modern society. For more information, please visit www.defence-unlimited.com

Do You Think You Need Self-Defence Training?

Before you answer that question, to illustrate some of the crime problems in South Africa, here are a few highlights from the last crime statistics:

• There were almost 47 murders each day, or approximately 2 murders an hour.
• There were 171 sexual crimes each day, or approximately  5 sexual crimes an hour.
• There were almost 500 assaults to inflict grievous bodily harm each DAY, or approximately 21 every hour!  

These stats sends shiver down my spine!

However, this isn’t an isolated problem in South Africa. Unfortunately, crime around the world has been on the increases. There is more crime and violence in this modern era than there has ever been in the history of man.

For some people, the fear of crime has led them to live a very secluded, paranoid and non-fulling life. For others, the perceived ineffective of the government and police force to combat crime has left them with a lot of built-up frustrations and a feeling of helplessness.

Perhaps you are one of those people. And even if you think you are not, subconsciously there would have been some impact directly or indirectly on your life.

But let’s look at a life that is free from these fears or frustrations of crime. Without those barriers, you will be able to explore your full potential to live a happier, more fulfilling and a more active life. This is what I call a fully-engaged life? Don't you think living a fully-engaged life sounds appealing?

So how do you get from this life of fear and frustration of crime, to a position where you can be living a fully-engaged life?

The answer is training, and specifically self-defence training.  Besides the obvious hard, physical skill that a self-defence practitioner will gain, they will also gain softer traits such as self-confidence, resilience, and discipline, traits that form part of what I call the ‘self-defence attitude’.

Self-defence training, in my opinion, has become a vital life skill, and is one that I believe everyone should have in order to function in this modern society.

You may feel that you are too old, not fit enough, or not strong enough to do self-fence, However, let me leave you with this very simple response – crime does not discriminate. It does not care about your age, gender, athletic abilities, your race or even your economic status.  It affects us all, and more so for those who feel they are too old, very unfit and physically weak. Like a predator in the wild, criminals will always look for a weakened prey to make a meal out of.

Now is the time to take action and learn self-defence and take back control of your life to ensure the safety of yourself, your spouse, your children and the subsequent generations that will come after you.  In doing so, not only does it benefit you and your loved ones, but it contributes to making society a safer place.  Edmund Burke, a 18^th century Irish political philosopher said it best, “Evil will prevail when good men fail to act.”

Please take a few minutes to complete this survey entitled, “Do you need self-defence training?” Besides providing some valuable feedback, it will also provide some insight as to whether you think you need some self-defence training that is effective and relevant for this modern society.

Click here to do the survey now: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/JJN3YLV

Remember to share this survey with as many people as you like.

Please feel free to comment below!

Until next time, get EDUCATED, feel EMPOWERED and live a fully-ENGAGED life!  

#MANDELADAY’s 67mins Self-Defence Workshop

“Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela ; 18 July 1918 – 5 December 2013) was a South African anti-apartheid revolutionary, politician and philanthropist who served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999. He was South Africa's first black chief executive, and the first elected in a fully representative democratic election.

…

Mandela was a controversial figure for much of his life. Denounced as a communist terrorist by critics, he nevertheless gained international acclaim for his activism, having received more than 250 honours, including the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize, the US Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the Soviet Order of Lenin. He is held in deep respect within South Africa, where he is often referred to by his Xhosa clan name, Madiba, or as Tata ("Father"); he is often described as the "Father of the Nation"” 

-  Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nelson_Mandela

On the 18 July, 2015, on what has now been known worldwide as “MandelaDay”, I will be doing a 67 mins Self-Defence Workshop for the local Chinese community, in spirit of what Mandela Day represents. The message behind Mandela Day is simple – each individual has the ability and the responsibility to change the world for the better. If each one of us heeded the call to simply do good every day, we would be living Nelson Mandela’s legacy and helping to build a country of our dreams. To me, this is a very heart-felt message as I deeply love my country of birth, South Africa. I had decided many years ago to not immigrate to the likes of Australia, Canada or the UK; as so many other South Africans have.  Furthermore, it encouraged me to take action against some of the problems we face in our society. Defence Unlimited was the embodiment of that love and desire to make a difference.

After coming across my advert on Facebook to promote the 67 mins Self-Defence Workshop, I was asked by a journalist from an international new agency the following questions:

1.         Why did you decide to celebrate Mandela Day that way?

WH: Nelson Mandela is one of my personal heroes whom I look up to for guidance and inspiration.  For me, he was a man of integrity, peace and understanding and is the embodiment of a true leader. I believe his ideals for humanity was truly inspirational, especially in his words, “umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu”, or “you must serve your fellow man”. It is only through this caring and serving each other will we be able to overcome all the adversity that we, as South Africans, currently face. Furthermore, his words of “It is in your hands to create a better world for all who live in it” really inspired me to step forward and take action to address some of the issues our country and my Chinese community faces, one of which is crime and the fear of crime. Being in the business that I am, I felt that my company, Defence Unlimited and I, could do this free workshop to the Chinese community, as well as make a small contribution to the Hong Ning Chinese Old Age Home.

2.         How have you celebrated the day in the previous years?

WH: Last year was the first initiative that Defence Unlimited offered free 67mins public self-defence presentation to the public.  It was held at the Rivonia Sports Club on a cold winter’s evening. Attendance was small, but respectable!  Read about the experience here: http://defence-unlimited.blogspot.com/2014/07/mandela-day-2014-67mins-of-self-defence.html

In previous years, I had been with a few corporate initiatives, including food packing and distribution for various communities.

3.         Do you think is still relevant and will continue to be relevant to the world?

WH: If you referring to Mandela Day, yes, absolutely! If anything, I think the spirit of Mandela Day is more relevant now than ever! In light of all the global turbulence and chaos, we need more positive ideals and action such as the ones that Mandela day encourages.  There is a saying from the Bible that says, “If good men do not act, evil will prevail”.  Therefore, it is the interest for everyone to do their bit, no matter how small it may be, in combating this evil around the world.

4.         What does Mandela mean to you?

WH: Well, as mentioned, he is a personal hero of mine. I’ve read a few books about his life and his leadership styles, as well as researched some of his public appearances and speeches. By doing so, I got to know what his ideals and aspirations were for ALL South Africans, and actually for humanity as a whole. It is these aspirations that really touched me and made me want to be a better person both for myself, my family and for society.  I should mention that I also got to meet him briefly right after his release from prison in 1990. It was at the Park Lane hospital and he was going for a check-up. I was quite young at the time, and didn’t know who this tall, African man was who was flanked by even two bigger African men (his body guards). There was a moment that he stopped, waved and smiled at my sister and I. All I can remember was how genuine and sincere his smile was, as how happy that made me feel - I could not help but smile back!

5.         What lessons can be learnt from Mandela's life?

WH: Just too many to mention! Just off the top of my head: Have integrity at all times; Be courageous; Be compassionate; Be a good leader; Have core principles that you abide to; listen intensely before making a response; don’t hurry – think, analyse then act;  and my personal favourite, “never let fear defeat you”.

I hope that Mandela Day inspires you to go out and make a difference in this world.

Till next time.

Get EDUCATED. Feel EMPOWERED. Live a FULLY-ENGAGED life. 

For more information on the workshop, please go to:

Website: http://www.defence-unlimited.com/get-engaged/mandela-day/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/326248007545473/

For more infomation on Mandela Day, please  go to:

http://www.mandeladay.com/

Looking For Kinks In My Self-Defence Armour

In the past few months, I had a number of occasions to discover some of the kinks in my self-defence armour that made me question just how vulnerable I am to an attack.

My most recent revelation was at the Intensive Krav Maga Instructor’s course that I attended with KMSA for 10 solid days (refer to http://defence-unlimited.blogspot.com/2015/07/krav-maga-explosive-aggressive.html ). During the 10 days, I was physically, mentally and emotionally challenged in a variety of ways!  There was kicking, punching, falling, grappling and intensive exercising for 8 hrs solid EVERY day. My body was tired, sore, and stiff in places I couldn’t even imagine. For instance, I had to take a risk the one day and not wear my groin protector as the skin on my inner thighs got so  chaffed from the cumulative days of training, that it resembled a gravel road in the hot, Kalahari desert. Murphy ’s Law dictates that it would be on those days I would be stuck multiple times in the groin by my training partners! On another occasion, one of my contact lenses got damaged and was irritating me so much that I had to remove it midway through training. Considering the contact lens was to compensate for my -8.0 vision in that one eye, I was pretty much blind. For those who do not wear contacts, having vision in one and non in the other can be very disorientating and nauseating. Worst still, I had to brave a 45 min drive back home, along which I would have to travel on one strip of road was notorious for being a hi-jacking hot spot. Keeping in mind that I do also live in one of the most crime-ridden countries in the world (as per the global stats), I knew I had to be extra vigilant and be ready for whatever action was necessary to preserve my life. I therefore took the decision to put the damaged contact lens back into my eye. As painful as it was to have it in, it was the only choice in my eyes (pun intended), considering the alternative - die in an accident trying to get home or die in a possible hi-jacking attempt because I was unable to see the danger around me. The best way to describe the pain was as if someone was poking my eye every 10 seconds with a fountain pen! For a 45 min journey, that was a lot of pokes! It was during these painful moments of my body and my weakened mental and emotional fortitude, that I realised that these were kinks in my self-defence armour - my moments of vulnerability and opportunities that the common criminal will look out for so as to take advantage of my pitiful state.

This brings me to self-defence 101, being self-aware. By understanding what I was or was not capably of in that state of body and mind, I could put a plan together to make myself a "hard target", or making it APPEAR that I am a hard target. The theory of being a "hard target" is to make it appear as if I am a person who is capable of handling myself in a situation, or to create sufficient barriers around me that will discourage a potential attacker from harming me. This may be as simple as the way I walk, or the way I observe (or not observe) the environment around me; to having an injury, illness or disability that may weaken my perceived defensive fortress, and having the ability to mask or subdue it. Then, there is also an understanding what "social-conditioning" has hampered my ability to defend myself, should I need to (more on social conditioning in a later blog).This is what I teach when referring to SELF-AWARENESS.

Secondly, being a hard target is also being aware of my immediate environment or the activities I undertake within this environment that may make me appear to have a "disadvantages" of any kind. For example, do I have a child with me, in which case I will be distracted or more concerned of their safety should something happen; am I being distracted by my phone and if so, I am leaving myself open to a possible surprise attacks); am I carrying too many groceries or paraphernalia that could hamper my getaway; am I showing a bit too much skin or bling in a not too savvy neighbourhood? This is what I refer to MICRO-AWARENESS and is the EASIEST of all three awareness to control and exact immediate changes to reduce these vulnerabilities in my micro-environment.

Lastly, which is the hardest to control, is the macro-environment, which is the environment or situation that falls outside my sphere of control or influence, or require a great effort to influence some kind of change. This could be your neighbourhood, city or country that I live in; the treacherous strip of road that is notorious for hijackings that I need to travel on as it is the ONLY road to get to and from work and home; specific rules or laws that prohibit me from carrying a weapon (and is strictly enforced). As mentioned, this is very difficult to control, however, just by being aware of what elements are in these environment that will get me to look at some creative ways to reduce some of these risks. (MACRO-AWARENESS)

To conclude, here are “10 Vulnerability Factors” to consider when evaluating what your chances of becoming a victim of crime is:

1. Injuries / Illnesses / Handicap

2. Gender

3. Age

4. General Health (Cardio, Strength, Stamina, Flexibility)  

5. Specific self-defence and safety mind-set

6. Social conditioning

7. Martial arts or combative training experience

8. Are the current activities I am undertaking making me vulnerable? (Micro-environment)

9. Overall macro-environmental risks (job, home, laws & rules, city, country)

10. My self-defence attitude!

Hopefully with this knowledge, you will take a closer look at where your kinks in your self-defence armour are and take the necessary actions to fill the gaps. Whether it's educating yourself with more knowledge of the topic of personal safety, or empowering yourself by taking up a self-defence or martial arts class or getting  fitter by going to the gym or taking up some other fitness activity, the ultimate objective is to live a good life of your choice, a FULLY-ENGAGED life.

Till next time.

Get EDUCATED. Feel EMPOWERED. Live a FULLY-ENGAGED life. 

Krav Maga… Explosive, Aggressive, Effective… My Thoughts & Views

Before I begin, I must state that I am by no means pro- or anti- Israel and am merely reporting on my experience of this combative system. I am looking at the product rather than the history and process by which this system came to be.

Well, what can I say other that I was thoroughly impressed with this course! Not only was it professionally conducted by Sensei Brett Clarke (Director of Krav Maga South Africa (KMSA), the only institution affiliated to the Wingate Institute in Israel), but the material was actually very good too! What impressed me most was its structured approach that covered a wide array of armed and unarmed threat neutralization. 

As for Krav Maga itself, it is ALMOST the epitome of what my self-defence journey has been leading me to and the philosophy that I had adapted a long time ago that started me on this path of self-defence discovery, namely “to devise/develop/discover a self-defence system that will be relevant and effective for anyone and everyone." Krav Maga meets 2 of the 3 criteria – relevant and effective. I will discuss its “perceived shortcomings” in the 3^rd category a bit later. However, let me elaborate a bit more on the 1^st 2 criteria – relevant and effective. Krav Maga is a self-defence system that was developed by the Israeli Military in the 1900’s and has become a global system that anyone can now use as an effective means of protecting themselves.  Krav Maga encourages students to avoid confrontation; however, if it is not possible or unsafe to do so, it promotes finishing a fight as quickly as possible. Its focus is on real-world situations and is extremely efficient due to its aggressive and explosive techniques. With that said, the 3^rd criteria of it being able to be used by “anyone and everyone” may only be one of its few shortcomings. The techniques require a certain amount of fitness, strength and speed to be able to be performed effectively. Therefore, this might exclude those who are physically weaker, sickly or disadvantaged in any other way. However, with that said, Krav Maga might be the activity for those who wish to both increase their fitness prowess as well as their self-defence skills – Something that I am a strong supporter of!

To give a little more insight into the course, I was exposed to 10 days of being punched, kicked, elbowed, kneed, thrown, grappled, stabbed, slashed and threatened by gunpoint at! The system covers the full array of threats that a normal civilian could be subjected to, and how to neutralise those threats.  Again, the emphasis was on an effective and aggressive response to those threats. Although their techniques may seem haphazard and messy to a bystander, there is a lot of logic that goes behind each move. The key is being able to apply that logic to each move when under pressure and with accuracy, speed and strength. By day 10, my group of fellow instructors had to undergo such pressure-testing and all I can say was that it was challenging! Although I have done a few short Krav Maga courses in the past, never had I been subjected to 10 days of continually high-intensity training such as this course! It was both exhausting and exhilarating!

Fortunately, my skills in Krav Maga were relatively easy to acquire due to the many black belts that I had already accomplished in the past. It was just a matter of tweaking a few skills and a change in mind-set. However, a bigger revelation was that because I had not practised my arts every day, those past skill and attributes that collectively make up that skill, had diminish over time.  My body felt the effects of these diminished skills by day 4 with all the kicks and break-falls that we had to do over and over again - so much for being a 4^th dan In Taekwondo and a 2^nd dan in Hapkido. The way I was kicking, one could have mistaken me for a pirate with wooden stumps for legs trying to play English premier league football!

A passing comment made by a long-time Krav Maga practitioner left me with quite a positive impression of this system. Basically he said was that some techniques had changed since the time he first started doing Krav Maga. What this indicates to me is that the system is willing to change and adapt its techniques to be more efficient and relevant for modern society’s threats – something that some of the traditional martial arts would frown upon.

On a more personal note - after 10 days of sharing blood, sweat and injuries with a group of strangers, one cannot but form a bond that can best be described as a brotherhood with them. There is a certain type of character that gets attracted to such sadistic activities and it is through this shared experience that I can honestly say, I know and trust these people more than I would some blood relatives. A wise man once said, “Blood doesn’t make family – loyalty does.” Thank you my fellow brothers and sister for sharing this journey with me.

Krav Maga definitely ranks up there with my list of effective self-defence systems. Improving on this system would be hard, but not impossible, as I definitely think there are some areas that I would like to elaborate on or explore further. My journey in Krav Maga may have just started, but will by no means be solely defined by it. My self-defence journey continues.

To conclude, what did I learn? Besides the obvious self-defence skills, I also learned how to be a better teacher.  As a teacher, one is always striving to find better ways in which to impart the skills and knowledge to a student. As a student, it's all about personal development and being able to accept and apply the instructions of his/her teacher. It's a constant cycle of duality and is one that I hope to continue being on for a very long time.

Till next time.

Get EDUCATED. Feel EMPOWERED. Live a FULLY-ENGAGED life. 

"Some action pics from one of the days!"

For more information on Defence Unlimited's Krav Maga Classes, please refer to the www.defence-unlimited.com website.

HARD vs SOFT SELF-DEFENCE

In a workshop recently, I had to make a distinction as to when I would hit someone versus using a joint-lock or pressure point against a person, or what I called hard self-defence and soft self-defence.

I boiled it down to what the immediate situation called for.

I would employ hard self-defence techniques when I am physically attacked by one or more aggressors. The tools I would use will include kicking and punching and any other bodily tools that I have trained to use, as well as "unattached" weapons such as firearms, knives, batons and improvised weapons.

However, there are some scenarios where a broken bone or two, may not necessarily be the most  ideal way to deal with an harasser.  It may be “too much force” that could result in me being liable for his/her injuries. This is when I would employ a more subtle form of "soft" self-defence such as joint-locks and pressure points, which may be enough to subdue or deter a harasser.

Note also that I have used different terms, aggressor and harasser, to describe the “bad guy” when I use either hard or soft self-defence. I have done this deliberately so as to act as a trigger as to when I should employ the appropriate techniques.

Which is better? 

My suggestion would be to combine both these 'forms' of self-defence and use what is appropriate at the time.  

For example in the case of suddenly being physically attacked by an aggressor, the immediate response would be to deal with that situation with some "hard' self-defence techniques (block the aggressor's strike; counter strike; create distance and access own weapons (if any); move in to attack aggressor again). Only once the aggressor is subdued and has not fled, would I employ some "soft" self-defence to either restrain the aggressor with a joint-lock, or cause him to become unconscious while I get help or restrain him.

In another example, if I was a female employee and was getting some unwanted attention from a male colleague at work, I would employ some "soft" self-defence techniques such as a finger-lock or pain-inducing pressure point technique so as to deter the harasser from proceeding any further. It should be noted that in this situation, I would also have to re-enforce my position of not wanting any of the harasser’s attention by using strong verbal commands and posturing - more tools and techniques that fall in the "soft" self-defence category. If however, my attempts are not successful and the harasser decides to use more force against me (making him now an aggressor) , I would revert back to "hard' self-defence and strike him hard.

It is important to note that a person's heart-rate and ability to control his or her fine motor skills under a high-pressure scenario is also key as to whether they should employ hard or soft self-defence. Fine motor skills are vital when trying to employ joint-locks or pressure-point techniques (soft self-defence) and will deteriorate as one's heart rate increases.

A person is able to condition themselves to better operate their fine-motor skills under hear-rate increasing scenarios, with the correct training. 

With the correct training, both hard and soft self-defence techniques should be employed to potentially hazardous incidents. Furthermore, one’s ability to be able to distinguish between these types of incidents become important too, as the age old saying of "one size fits all" would not work in a court of law if you are found to be using excessive force in an incident.

To conclude, as your journey in becoming a safety-conscious member of society who studies practical self-defence techniques to empower yourself, you must always keep in mind that as you become more proficient in self-defence, you need to exercise greater self-control when handling an incident and never abuse your skills and knowledge. If you do, you become no better than the criminals we wish to weed out of society.

Till next time.

Get EDUCATED. Feel EMPOWERED. Live a FULLY-ENGAGED life. 

IMPROVISED WEAPONS FOR SELF-DEFENCE

In an interview recently, I was asked what my opinion on what improvised weapons should be used in a self-defence situation. As a broad guideline, an improvised weapon is an every-day item that can create a greater impact by being swung, thrust or thrown/projected at an aggressor.

As with any self-defence training, there are 3 aspects in using any improvised weapons:

1. Know what tool to use

2. Know what target to strike at

3. Know how to use the tools to strike at the target.

In this post, I will only focus on point 1, "know what tools to use".

When selecting a tool, anything that is around you that fits one or more of the following criteria is a valid improvised weapon:

• Items that are hard and will allow you to use at a distance (an arms-length or greater) against an aggressor. This implies you also need to be able to either lift it up or be able to move it around.

• Items that are small, but hard enough to allow you to apply pressure on it against an aggressor without breaking on impact in close-range (within an arms-length).

• Items that are easily accessible under a high-pressured situation.

Here are also some general guild lines on things to avoid using as an improvised weapon:

• Items that you will need immediately after the incident has occurred.

• Items that you do not want damaged, stolen or lost.

• Items that are hard to reach when the incident occurs.

Car key, for instance, is not an ideal choice for an improvised weapon. If you are in a remote area and get attacked whist in or walking to your car, you do not want to risk losing or damaging your car keys during the struggle with an aggressor.

Cell phones are other items to avoid. If you get injured or have to call the police or a loved one to tell them of the incident, your injuries and/or your whereabouts, you want to ensure that you have a working cell phone handy.

Of course, in the heat of the moment, you may reach for the closest items that are available to you, which may be the car keys or cell phone. If this is the case, you just need to do what is necessary to deal with the immediate threat with whatever means possible. This will mean that you may be without your car keys or phone after the situation, which may on its own be another problem. One way to mitigate this risk is to carry suitable "weapons" that can be used in a self-defence situation. It should be items that you have consciously decided that you will use on an aggressor, should the need arise. Furthermore, it should be items that you have practiced accessing and using under a pressurised situation.

One of the favourite "improvised weapons" that I have often heard and read about for women, are her high-heel shoes. Unless you are comfortable wearing and using high-heel shoes in a situation that will require you to move and kick in these shoes, I personally would not recommend removing them as an improvised weapon to strike an aggressor. Why? Well for starters, most high-heel shoes that I have seen on women have a strap on them to secure the shoes to the feet. This could take some time to remove and hence, goes against the principle of, "must be easily accessible". Furthermore, it compromises her balance as she would have to have to balance on one leg whilst trying to fend off an aggressor or even just to try and get away from the threat! Besides being prone to ankle injuries or losing her own balance and failing (which is definitely not ideal when being attacked), being off-balanced would seriously reduce her chances of being able to handle a self-defence incident.

Let’s look now at a few suggested improvised weapons that one could use in various environments. This list is by no means exhaustive, but, they do follow the guidelines above for selecting a suitable weapon:

At home:  Broom stick, umbrella, dog leash + chain, books, hard files, electric tooth brush, furniture, pot plants, dustbin, ash tray, ornaments, kettle cords, boiling water, rolled up magazine/newspaper, pepper/curry powder, pots & pans, knives, flasks, torch, garden tool, scissors, screw drivers, insecticide, etc..

While traveling in own vehicle: CD's, CD covers, fire extinguisher, cigarette lighter, traffic triangle, car jack, spanner, car tool set, steering lock, first aid kit, water bottles, etc...

Walking about in a shopping mall, to your vehicle, or using public transport: water bottle, walking stick, umbrella, jacket, belt, comb, cigarette lighter, deodorant, groceries, baby pram (minus the baby), etc.. 

An underlying theme in all of this is to have a self-defence ATTITUDE, which is basically, having the mental and emotional capabilities of using the correct tools to strike effectively at the correct targets, when the need arise.

Feel free to look around your environment and scrutinize what you carry and use every day and determine whether or not it would be a suitable tool for self-defence or not.  Furthermore, be sure also to practice accessing and using those items you find suitable - you never know when and where you might need an improvised weapon! If you are serious about your safety, I would suggest seeking out a suitable self-defence instructor that can explain the principles of self-defence to you, as well as empower you with the knowledge and skills relevant for your circumstances.

Till next time, be safe!

Get EDUCATED. Feel EMPOWERED. Live a FULLY-ENGAGED life!

AN INTERVIEW WITH WARREN HO ON SELF-DEFENCE...

Recently, I had the privilege of being contacted by a TV producer to do a short self-defence snippet for a SABC TV program that was aimed at empowering the youth of South Africa. The specific topic they wanted to interview me on was my take on self-defence and my company, Defence Unlimited. Below are 3 questions that I was sent to prepare me for the interview. I decided to write it down (as I normally waffle quite a bit without a script and when I have camera’s focused on me), but it will be interesting to see the interview (once it has been edited) and compare it to what I had wrote!

Question 1: The importance of self-defence, the martial arts, and the responsibility that come with the freedom to defend yourself.

Firstly, I have made a clear distinction between martial arts and self-defence training. There are some martial arts, not many, that have retained its primary objective as being a means of protecting oneself from danger, hence a martial art for self-defence. However, many martial arts have progressed from this very primal objective to a more philosophical practise aimed predominately at cultivating the human body, mind and spirit.

There are some martial arts that have also crossed over to into the realms of sports and bring into it elements such as competition, rules and winners & losers. In many cases, this commercialisation has help some martial arts flourish and become as prominent as they are today. It does, however, bring with it the negative traits of sports too, such as bad attitudes, poor sportsmanship and politics.

However, besides the obvious physical conditioning, martial arts and self-defence training do have something else in common, which is to cultivate some very positive characteristics in the practitioner, namely confidence, resilience and discipline.

Confidence - By installing confidence in a person, you give them the ability to face life head-on, with their head held high. A stressful job becomes so much more manageable as confidence in yourself and abilities allows you to realise that this is just a job after all; or the peer pressure in school become less overwhelming as you feel you can now stand on your own and be ok with it.

Resilience – The ability to get back up after you have been knocked down, is a trademark of successful people. Life, like in the dojo (training hall) is not always going to be hunky-dory and go according to plan. There will be set-backs, slow progress, and disappointments. The key is to get back up, brush it off, learn from it, and keep on going.

Discipline – The assertion of willpower over more base desires, and is synonymous with self-control. Having this ability allows us to harness our time, skills and mental capabilities into something positive. In training, this could involve repeating a technique over and over again until it becomes instinctive. In life, it could be following a strict code of conduct (such as marriage vows) so as to ensure one’s marriage is happy and faithful.

By having these 3 characteristics, it gives us the foundation and choice to live what I call, a fully-engaged life – A life that you want to live. The key word here is that it gives you choices, and this on its own is a great responsibility. You can choose to live a good life, or you can choose to live a bad life. You just have to live with the consequences.

Question 2: A demonstration and tips on how to defend yourself in various situations.

In self-defence, I am a firm believer that non-violence is superior to violence, hence, I use a strategy I have developed called, “A.D.A.P.T”, the art of non-fighting.

ADAPT stands for:

• Avoidance
• Dodge; Escape; Elude; Evade;
• Arbitrate (officially try to settle disagreement. to officially try to settle a disagreement by considering all the facts and opinions); Verbal Dissuasion; Oral Combat; Dissuasion, Negotiation,
• Pretend / Posture
• Tactical Control; Restraint

All of these individual tactics are a non-fighting response to a possible harmful situation.

(More on this in future posts)!

However, at the same time, I am not naive and should an altercation become physical, I will use whatever means possible, physical or non-physical, to protect myself and my loved one.

One of the organizations I belong too, called MDW (www.multidimensionalwarrior.co.za) , have a nice maxim which is, “Pressure dictates tactics”. Basically, depending on the amount of pressure an aggressor directs at me, I will adapt my self-defence response accordingly. As an example, an aggressor comes at me empty-handed, I will draw a knife or retractable baton. If they come at me with a knife, I will draw a firearm. If they draw a firearm, I get in my car and get away! You get the picture, right?

Initially though, all attacks will begin with me being unarmed to defend myself. This is where I will use some unarmed techniques to give me that momentary opportunity to either get away, or draw a weapon, or position myself in a better position to launch a full-on assault at my aggressor. In the case of confronting the attacker, one must know and understand what tools he/she has at her disposal, and what target areas are feasible at that moment.

Question 3: The importance of being taught by an expert (Basically, what Defence Unlimited is, what it offers, and how people can contact you and make use of your services)

Expert is a very deceptive word. An expert implies I know everything, where in fact, all I am but a mere student who has found some truths that resonate with me and that I can apply into my daily life. Since I was 8 years old, I have never stopped learning something about any of the martial arts that I had studied. I have a love and passion for it, but realised that besides the martial arts, there is a greater need for something for the everyday-person to be able to protect themselves, so that they can live the lives that want to live. Hence, Defence Unlimited was formed.  Our mission is to “unlock potential to live a fully-engaged life through effective self-defence training”.  By educating and empowering people with self-defence skills and knowledge, they will feel more secure at home and work, and will be more inclined to engage positively in their life. This in turn allows them to strive towards their goals and dreams, and hence, allows them to live a happier and fulfilling life! Our self-defence system is for a smarter generation and is simple, effective and relevant. For more information on Defence Unlimited and what we do, please go to www.defence-unlimited.com.

With that said, there are many schools and “experts” out there that teach martial arts, self-defence or both. Some are good and some are bad and the best way to find out is to check their credentials and experience one of their classes. Be wary of some of the stuff you can find on You Tube as that would totally get you killed in the streets.

As a closing question, I was asked what my definition of self-defence is. My answer was that for me personally, self-defence is understanding myself and what I am or am not capable of doing in order to protect myself or my loved ones. It is about answering this simple, but profound question: "What am I willing fight, die or kill for?" If you can honestly answer this question, then you have answered what self-defence is for yourself. The rest is just commentary that must be practiced and incorporated into your daily life to ensure that that answer remains secure. 

Till next time!

Get EDUCATED. Feel EMPOWERED. Live a FULLY-ENGAGED life.