Psychology of Trauma and Self-defense training

While not about techniques, I thought it would be of interest here:

1. https://www.theatlantic.com/health/a...trauma/598237/

The take away point is that SD training seems to be helpful in resolving issues after attack. However, as we discuss who is a qualified teacher of combatives or firearms usage (as compared to some less than qualified), the article makes the point that those teaching folks who have suffered trauma need to be trained and aware of the risks of training being counterproductive.

Interesting piece.

Some have argued (one slice of feminists) that women should not learn self-defense (I've heard that in the academic environnment)

1. Because it blames the victim and puts the onus of stopping rape on the women.
2. Men should taught not to rape (note -some studies find that the guys who pay attention to the don't be sexual predators, are the nicer guys anyway. The predators pay little attention).

Also women have the right to get drunk, wear provocative clothes and go stupid places (like the Frat party). Men take the onus of the bad behavior, women shouldn't have to take precautions as described in classes.

3. Self - defense training is not effective. There is a red suit study that found that some of the courses really didn't stand up when tested in a tough red suit test. Means better training. Of course, no one wins everything.

I also note that men have had bad trauma related episodes in subsequent training. At the old NTI, I was told one participant had to be gently talked down after a shoot house run.

My wife, who was engaged to a much older creep that took advantage of her young age, credits simply empowering herself through taking basic taekwondo and karate classes in helping her to build her self esteem and confidence. This helped her come to grips with the trauma the guy put on her. She refuses to call it PTSD, but I know that's what it was. We struggled with the first five years of our marriage because of this guy, but we worked through it. I can only imagine that if she found a program like the one detailed, her recovery might have been quicker.

There are resources for instructors working with trauma victims:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DTH9ZZQ?pldnSite=1

https://www.amazon.com/Fear-Mind-Kil...al-text&sr=1-1

I've read the second one. Seemed useful, but I don't have the experience to judge.

As for "effective", sure, it takes a LOT of work for anyone to prevail against a larger, stronger, determined opponent. But it's hard to see how a good self-defense class that covered the whole range of options -- starting with avoidance and disengagement -- would be worse than no class at all.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Glenn E. Meyer

Some have argued (one slice of feminists) that women should not learn self-defense (I've heard that in the academic environnment)

1. Because it blames the victim and puts the onus of stopping rape on the women.
2. Men should taught not to rape (note -some studies find that the guys who pay attention to the don't be sexual predators, are the nicer guys anyway. The predators pay little attention).

Also women have the right to get drunk, wear provocative clothes and go stupid places (like the Frat party). Men take the onus of the bad behavior, women shouldn't have to take precautions as described in classes.

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It's incredible that there are still people who don't comprehend that you have to protect yourself in addition to expecting other people to do the right thing.

One of my teen female students was raped by two two young men after she passed out from alcohol consumption. A few days later she located one and cut his throat. She never found the other guy. I think her brother got to him. Certainly I do not approve of this type retaliation yet can not understand any criticism of programs offering self defense training for females. Once I knew a minister who was upset that his daughter had bought a handgun and was taking instruction. This guy even had a philosophical objection to having a "big dog" in the house for protection because it might harm another. I told him that if he knew what I knew, then he would board up his windows. Many deny reality, perhaps because information has been filtered before they received it.