Comments

Give us the power, the ability to defend ourselves and live.

I am a junior at Gettysburg College in PA. I don't know if you have been watching the news lately, but there has been a murder on our college campus last Thursday. One student (a male senior) strangled and murdered his (ex-)girlfriend of one year (a sophomore). It really shook our campus hard, along with myself, even though i did not know either one that was involved. After breaking down a little tonight, i realized, crying was not going to change the past; nor prevent incidents, assaults, nor murders like this from happening again in the future.

What will? Taking action!

I found your contact information after googling 'self defense for women classes' and wanted to get in contact with you right away. I was hoping you could hold self defense classes for female students, or any woman (faculty, staff or students) on our campus to help protect us if we were to ever get ourselves in this type of situation. It is very scary to know that an innocent 19 year old young woman was strangled, stabbed and murdered by someone that loved her for a year. Not even a stranger, or a crazy drug addict rapist on the street! Her boyfriend! Someone she trusted and loved! How scary is that? She was not able to get away, she was not able to defend herself. She died because of that.

But you... you have the power to give us woman that power. You have the ability to give us woman the ability to defend ourselves. To win. To live. And to help with our recovery of her death on our campus. I believe that immediately holding these self defense classes on our campus will prove that Emily Rachel Silverstein did not die in vain.

Please help me, help us. Give us the power, the ability to defend ourselves and live.

I took self-defense classes for over 2 years and I am now an instructor. I told all of the women I have taught about your website and what you have been doing for the world. I'm so grateful that there are people like you that let girls know that they have the right to be treated with respect and to defend themselves when necessary.

Dallas, My mother and I went to hear you speak in Portales and I just wanted to say that right after the program was over I text a close friend of mine who has been having problems and I told her to go to justyellfire.com. You are my new role model and I am a role model to many of my friends so thank you for giving me snd my friends the correct type of role model to look up to.

Hi there! I can't believe your story about how this film got started. But it's amazing. Congratulations on your successful journey, and by helping so many teen girls. But not only are you guys helping out young teen girls, you are helping out adult women. I myself, like so many others have been victimized by sexual assault. The ones who hurt me were never charged. I have two little girls, ages 3 and 8 months, and of course they are so young, I want them to have the opportunity to be able to protect themselves as they grow into adults. By having this video I will be able to help protect them, my nieces, and also my sisters and any other woman I have in my family and friends. I seen you guys on Montel today, and I cried, and cried. It's amazing what you can do if you really want to promote change. I'm so proud of you both, being a mother like I said, I pray to God each and every second that my girls will be just like you guys. Wanting to change things for the better.

My heart goes out to you and your crew for what you all have done.
Thank you again, but remember one thing that I tell my friends who have been hurt... You are NOT a victim, you ARE a survivor inside and out.

With love always, and forever!

Thank you so much for making this movie available - you are literally saving thousands.

I saw you on the Montel Williams show recently and I was just SO impressed! The number of lives affected by your video is incomprehensible and I have to applaud you for creative spirit and willingness to take action to do something for the welfare of others.

I have a 8 nieces and I would like to show them all your DVD, so I was wondering if you would please send me a copy. I filled out the order form to make a donation. I sure hope you get enough responses so that you can get this important information out nationwide - and beyond!

Deputy Director, Adult Court Services

Just thought I would drop a line to say I appreciate what you do for young women.  I have been a Probation Officer for over 25 years, a martial artist for over 30 years and a self-defense and personal safety instructor for over 20 years.  During every session I teach I encourage young women and their parents to go to your web page for valuable information to enhance their personal safety.  Keep up the good work.

So pleased to know you and your work

This is a comment sent in to our trainers Leila Rae Sommerfeld and Valerie Mainridge of Gresham, OR

Thank you again from our entire team! You and Valerie did such a fabulous job. Several of our volunteers commented at the end that your traiing was the best self-defense class they had ever taken - and several had attended classes in the past. you adapted your presentation to fit perfectly into our time constraints and skill level. You and Valerie brought such great energy and enthusiasm to our class. We especially appreciate you taking time on a Sunday. We feel empowered to continue to advocate for sexually exploited women in and around Portland.

We are so pleased to know you and your work. I hope this is only the beginning of our partnership.

This morning I had the good fortune of checking in on the "everything self-defense" blog by Tom Callos. I must say it was a pleasure to view "Just Yell Fire". I can't believe that I have never come across this tremendous piece on women's self-defense. Your daughter, Dallas and her friend are truly ambassadors on a subject that is only taken to lightly.

I have been teaching martial arts and situational self-defense since 1978. Only since 1997 has my school focused on the anti-abduction of children and the protection, rape prevention, and quick escape for women. We have implemented much of the information that is offered on this DVD through sources such as John Hall's "Date Escape" and Tony Blauer's "Rape Prevention".

The key that makes "Just Yell Fire" so solid is "who" is presenting this film. The two girls, the police officer, and Dallas' instructor give the targeted audience a much better presentation. It will be so much easier for girls and parents to pay attention and to stay interested.

I truly look forward to scheduling and evening with daughters and parents so that we may view "Just Yell Fire" together. I'm not sure if it's possible for me to download and burn the video to DVD. But I will give it a try and I look forward to sending as many parents as possible to your website.

What you are doing is amazing. I plan to have a "Just Yell Fire" birthday party for my 18th birthday. I think all my friends need to know your techniques before we head off to college. Thank you!