Smart Girl Self-Defense, a gym in Albuquerque where women learn how to defend themselves, is hosting monthly classes for previous victims.
“We just need to be aware, we need to be alert and have a head on a swivel,” Heather Winklejohn, Smart Girl’s co-founder, told KOB.
Self-defense also includes mental training. “We talk about breaking the freeze because so many of us, it’s very normal, will freeze if someone grabs us, strikes us, throws us down,” Winklejohn said. “So, we talk about strategies for minimizing the amount of time you spend in a freeze.”
Winklejohn teaches techniques like never turning your back on a threat. “By doing that and giving him my back, I really made myself vulnerable,” Winklejohn said.
Also, the goal of any fight that may occur is to react fast, keeping your hands up and getting away as soon as possible. “By having my hands (up) I can get distance and extension,” Winklejohn said. “The other nice advantage to having my hands up is, if he decides to strike or throw a punch, I can protect my face a little bit better and a little bit easier.”
It’s also important to be aware of your surroundings and follow your instincts when you feel threatened.
“Having your head buried in your phone, not paying attention to where you’re parking, not paying attention to your gut, your instinct when something is letting you know that something doesn’t feel right,” Winklejohn said. Also, make sure people you trust know where you are.
According to its website, the class is only for post-trauma survivors with a minimum age of 16. The 75-minute class addresses personal areas or scenarios of challenge and offers strategies for dealing with freezing. It also emphasizes that the program is “not intended to replace mental health treatment or therapy. It may also be beneficial for self-growth and help prevent re-victimization.”