B.C. woman fights off attacker, credits her self-defence classes

A B.C. female is crediting her free self-defence classes pinch preventing what could person been a devastating attack.

Maria Hansen lives successful nan Comox Valley.

Last Saturday nighttime she went extracurricular her location to adjacent her gross aft her friend near and said a man grabbed her by nan limb and slammed her difficult into nan gross twice.

Hansen said she remembered what to do and smacked nan thenar of her hands into his face, hard, past was capable to tally into nan location and drawback her husband’s play club. Her hubby was distant astatine nan time.

She went to nan emergency room and was diagnosed pinch a concussion.

Hansen said she reported it to nan RCMP and was told they would travel up. But she credits nan classes for giving her nan devices she needed.

“We ever look for things to do,” Hansen said erstwhile she decided to return nan classes. “It was truthful fitting, 2 lessons and past he shows up. What are nan chances?”

She said nan classes taught her what to do if you get attacked from nan front, behind, connected nan crushed — each scenario.

“The instrumentality is to clasp connected to him tight,” she added, “because nan further he is distant from you it increases nan chance of him hitting you.”

Adam Morden teaches nan classes astatine Gracie Jiu-Jitsu successful Courtenay, B.C., and told Global News they person been successful nan organization for astir 11 years.

“More than anything, we’ve heard astir nan number of situations that person been avoided owed to nan confidence, expertise to group boundaries, and beryllium much alert of their surroundings. Men, women and children person recovered they’ve felt safer,” he said.

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Morden said he was happy Hansen had nan skills to take sides herself from nan attack.

“We connection a free women’s self-defence people each Saturday astatine 10:30 a.m. It’s unfastened to anyone successful nan community; you don’t person to motion up for anything,” he added.

“Come pinch a friend is 1 of nan champion things you tin do.”

Hansen said she would for illustration to return much classes and build connected her skills.

She said she thought she would ne'er request this training.

“If I didn’t person that, I don’t cognize wherever I would person been now.”