SMU posted yellow sheets around campus that describe certain details of the assault. (Sidney Hollingsworth/The Daily Campus)
Most students know to not walk alone at night, always use the “buddy system,” and constantly be aware of his or her surroundings. Some put away distractions such as headphones and texting when walking, but do most students really heed safety advice?
“The bad guy gets to pick the when, where, and how to attack,” C.O.B.R.A. self-defense instructor Jim Dryburgh said.
Last Tuesday, a female student reported an aggravated sexual assault near the Dedman Law Quad.
SMU Police Lt. Jim Walters said that while the university is “fortunate” to have a “very safe campus,” assaults still happen.
“[Attacks occur when] you have to have a victim that is vulnerable and susceptible,” Walter said.
Justin Everman, founder and chief self-defense instructor at Combative Warrior Arts in Richardson, said that preventing sexual assault starts by being on the offensive. A person should present his or her self as someone who would be a problem to a predator.
Everman’s program refers to this person as a “hard target-someone who does not look like a victim.”
Everman teaches his students to communicate hardness in four ways: awareness of what’s going on, body language that conveys confidence and engages eye contact, assertive and sure voice tone and knowledge of basic self-defense.
While the first three are achievable without any significant practice or preparation, learning self-defense requires a little more effort.
Most people neglect self-defense training even though it may very well be the most important.
Knowing basic maneuvers can make a huge difference in saving yourself or someone else being attacked.
“The odds are whoever you’re up against is fairly unskilled. They tend to be amateurs,” Dryburgh said. “So a little bit of skill makes a big difference.”
Dryburgh explained that most attackers are lazy and there are very few cases of assault by someone who is highly trained.
While some may assume they could fight his or her way out of a situation, Dryburgh, quoting Mike Tyson, says this kind of “hope for the best” technique fails.
“Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the face,” he said.
So how can students prepare? Dryburgh provided the following basic tutorial to escape from some common attacks:
•If your attacker grabs you by the wrist- with your arm held out, drop your elbow down and twist your arm to break the attacker’s grip in between where his thumb meets his other fingers.
If able, use you other hand to do what he calls the “palm-heel claw” – drive the heel of your hand under the attacker’s chin, pushing upward, and use your fingers to claw at the eyes.
•If your attacker has his arms around you from behind – use your hands to grip hard and pull the attacker’s fingers backward toward the back of his hand, breaking the fingers and freeing you from the “bear hug.”
•If your attacker has you in a front choke- Use your dominant arm to sweep it up and around, in a “C” curve, to knock the attacker’s arms down and away. Just as in the wrist grab, you can use your other arm to do the “palm-heel claw.”
While these maneuvers are only a start, Dryburgh insists learning and practicing such basics can put you ahead of a potential attacker, making all the difference in your ability to escape.
“You need to be aware of it, but at the same time you need to have the ability to handle it,” Dryburgh said.
After the assault was reported on campus, SMU students have taken special precautions to remain safe.
“”I am definitely looking into ways to better protect myself, especially after this incident happened. I think it’s always better to be safe than sorry, especially when it comes to something as serious as assault,” sophomore Raeesa Ebrahim said.
