Power of Women program today presented a USTF Defensive Tactics in DSC at noon. The Scottish coach, a certified personal protection specialist, Gordon Hendry talked about the ethics while using the tactics.
His handout also puts awareness (for the A in AVOID) on top of the other four tactics. To be aware of the situation is important in our daily life since we are in a mobile communication society. The example he gave is that it is easy for people to neglect the environment while walking and talking. Another situation he mentioned made me think of A Few Good Men, where Tom Cruise was scared by the investigator sitting in the backseat of his car. Since I had seen this movie, I have always bearing this sense to chekc before I sit into my car.
According to his handout, the other four tactics are verbal (for the V in AVOID), Options (as the O in AVOID, Informing higher authority (asthe I in AVOID), and Defensive tactic (as the D in AVOID). His emphasis on the tactics to take some actions before "physical survival tactics" made me be aware of the difference between a criminal and an unethical shark.
The training course made me link many other aspects into this personal defensive program. One life experience I have had was that I had been bullied by a boy three or four years older than me when I was a pupil in the elementary school. When the boy was put into my class, he had been kept down for more than two years. It was an unwritten rule in the 70s' and 80s' China that good students should be put into the first or second row in the classroom. So did those students who talk often in a class or not very good at studying. The boy was fixed as my deskmate since I made good scores and seldom got involved in any disputes or arguments. He kept on bugging me in the class. Moreover, he often threw graves onto my body on our way home. Decades later, I was told that if boys keep on bugging girls in their young ages, it means that the boy likes the girl. When I was hit by this boy, I did not know how to react except cry or to stay away from these agressive people.
Gordon's handout says that "... trying to seek help in the proper manner before a completely violent retaliation occurs." My experience belongs to the unethical category instead of being criminal. I did tell my mother under her pressure. The negotiation with our class advisor, the result was that she had no way to get rid off this troublemaker. I was the only choice for her to be able to find a seatmate for him because I was a good student. I wish that American way of treating people would find its way to China. I hope that American way of academic research would find a way to let those who needs help know how to answer to those pecadillos that would bring bad memories and experiences in their life.
I guess this experience cultivated my pursuit of knowledge. I believe that knowledge is power. The power of power is to be able to speak out the knowledge one has inside of him/herself. I am trying to get all my knowledge and experiences out of my mind so that I can help other people to have a better life.
