Women learn how to defend themselves
Staff Photo by Ashley Masingale
Self defense workshops help students prepare to protect themselves in parking lots against predators.
January 3, 2019
In the world we live in today, you never know when you may have to protect yourself. Self-defense is a great way to escape from a dangerous situation quickly. Jill Toborowsky, SAP counselor, organized a women’s self-defense class for Wakefield students and staff to participate in. Over thirty individuals signed up for the class. Each participant is taking the class for a different reason.
“What I was hearing a lot of was girls being taken advantage of,” Toborowsky said. “[And] they say ‘it is fine’ or ‘it is ok,’ but it is not ok and that’s what inspired me to do this.”
The class took place on December 18 in the dance room. Ladies came together to learn how to protect themselves. Julee Jones from Peck’s TaeKwonDo America in Cary led the class.
Rachel Smoke, sophomore, wanted this class to be fun along with it being a learning experience.
“You can be around other young ladies who have the same mindset as you,” Smoke said. “[And] get to learn how to kick some serious booty.”
Students practice self defense tactics and use keys as a tool against predators.
This was the first time Wakefield offered a self-defense class. Lindsay Jenkins, junior, took the class. She was beyond excited that Wakefield was teaching a self-defense class.
“You have to know how to defend yourself,” Jenkins said. “It’s really great that our school is having a class where we can learn how to do that and learn how to properly defend yourself.”
According to Rainn.org, one out of six American women are raped. If women are informed how to at least get away from the situation, we can change this statistic.
“[I] don’t think it is a bad thing for a woman to know how to defend herself in any situation” Kim Cook, Data Manager, said. “The day and age we live in, it is necessary for any and all of us to defend ourselves.”
Toborowsky plans on having another class in the spring right before seniors head off to college. With knowledge of self-defense, you are able to buy more time to get away from a situation and go to a safe place.
“I think it is important to learn how to protect yourself,” Toborowsky said. “You feel more confident in yourself if you can take care of yourself.”
mplo • Dec 10, 2022 at 1:04 pm
All women and girls of any age should be able to learn how to defend themselves, regardless of whether they reside in cities, suburbs, or rural areas. Any places, regardless of the kind of environments, can be prime places for predators to lie in wait for, or tool around looking for victims.