Can learning self defense be useful and effective enough for most women?

Or is it better to run away as fast as you can?

I do freeze up frequently when confronted with surprise situations.

My boyfriend says all girls are wimps and couldn't possibly win against a more powerful male attacker.

Well, I just started my self defense class in high school and our instructor thought very little of my boyfriend's advice when told of it.

To psychologically counteract the "freeze effect" common to many women in surprise situations, she gave us 2 web sites of current events where females were successful in dealing with their assailants:

http://www.kansascity.com/news/breaking_news/story/471467.html

http://www.surinenglish.com/noticias.php?Noticia=12145

Your thoughts?

Your advice?

Running away as fast as you can is part of self-defense, just another tactic. Hell I would take some if I knew where and when. I would put my own daughter through it if I ever have one.

And that guy...you should not be with anyone who thinks that. It demeans yourself along with every other girl. Obviously that's a sign that he doesn't value you as much as you might think. It's also a warning sign that something is wrong with him psychologically and could end up hurting you in the near future. He is not worth your time. I just really hope you're smart enough to recognize this. No guy should EVER say anything like that. Good luck.

Learning self defense is very useful and effective!!! It gives you a different sense of awareness and assurance about yourself. You may never have to use it but it's good to know what to do if you have to.

My friends learned the hard way not to sneak up on me :-)

I agree with your instructor, your boyfriend is a jerk , it's not about strength, it's about knowing how to do the most damage and where and sometimes just enough so you can get away.

My Sensei thought me that fighting should ALWAYS be the absolute last result, if you can run, RUN!!

Yes, a responsible course in self-defense is a good idea for everyone, male or female, and there is no reason why a woman can't hurt a man enough at least to let her get away (you don't have to overpower him, one stomp of a high heel onto his instep and you'll have plenty of time to escape while he contemplates the pain that is life.

That having been said, if you're ever in a position where somebody jumps you and demands your purse or wallet, just give it to them (or better yet, throw it at them and run the other way), it's not worth the risk to try to fight back, cancel your credit cards, write off the cash you were carrying and get home safe. This is especially true if there is a weapon involved, DO NOT fight with a person who has a weapon if there is any way to avoid it, you are very likely to be hurt quite badly. Actually defending yourself rather than trying to escape should be reserved for times when there is no other option.

Finally, if you do carry some sort of device for self defense and you're forced to use it, do not bring it out to threaten an assailant with, use it. If you have pepper spray, a baton, a knife, even a gun, if you take it out, be ready to use it, because once you introduce a weapon, you have just escalated the conflict and it is in your best interest to avoid getting hurt by ending it as soon as possible, which is why it's often best not to have a weapon at all (anything you have can be taken away and used against you).

I also think very little of your boyfriend's "advice" but the truth is that in any fight, one or both people is likely to get hurt, so the best way to win is not to get into one in the first place.