Comments

Teaching girls that they CAN defend themselves

I am interested in becoming a certified trainer for Just Yell Fire. I gained my Master's degree in Library Science last May with an emphasis in children's and youth services, and hope to find a job soon as a public librarian. With the amount of contact I will have in that field with young and teenage girls, as well as contacts with schools and other libraries, I would like to find out how to become involved and help promote your program.

I have been training in aikido as a self-defense art since June, and will be testing for my first rank soon. The more I learned in aikido, the more it made me aware of how girls and women in America are socialized about violence. Movies, television, and popular media seem to promote the belief that girls and women cannot win or escape in a situation where we are under attack by a man. Recognizing this made me interested in finding out what programs were already available to promote girls' and women's self-defense. I discovered Just Yell Fire by Googling "women's self-defense". I was thrilled to find that someone has begun a movement to counter that socialization early in women's lives, beginning with teaching the girls who are most at risk that they CAN defend themselves and escape an attacker, even if their attacker is much larger. I myself am only 5'1", and the techniques that eliminate an attacker's advantage of greater height are also especially applicable to me.

I live in St. Louis, Missouri, USA, and I would like any information available on training for certification for Just Yell Fire, either locally or in neighboring states if necessary. Many thanks to you, Dallas, and everyone else involved with Just Yell Fire for your caring and hard work.

I read about the wonderful JYF project in my latest People magazine, and immediately had to check out your website. I watched with horror the videotaped abduction of Carly Brucia, and made my 14 year-old daughter watch it as well. This is truly a parent's worst nightmare.

Thank you for this important work.

While working out at the gym today, I saw your organization's segment on the Montel Williams show. On the TV next to the one showing your segment was a news report on Fox News showing an 18 year old girl that was just abducted from a Target in KS. My daughter was working out at the gym with me. I would like to request one of your DVD's for her. I want her to have the information that she needs to help her know what to do if she ever finds herself in that kind of situation.

Just sort of off the cuff, Maggie, I got to thinking today about how doctors and inventors also do things to benefit the public, but they don't give their services or ideas away for free. For what you and your wonderful Dallas have done, you deserve to be multi-millionaires. JYF is a priceless gift for all of mankind! For it, I'm truly sorry that the proper gratitude it deserves can only be expressed in the old cliché that no words in the English language are sufficient enough; no word, no phrase. To me, this is one of less than maybe a handful of ideas since time immemorial that will prove to have such a thorough, beneficial impact on mankind.

I heard a rave review about the film on Radion Station 860 this morning. It's just the thing I 've been looking for for my daughter, who is a junior at Sacramento State University. One of her roommates recently was attacked while walking to school, but got away and was not hurt, thank goodness. The good thing about it is that Kelly and her friends are finally paying attention when I talk about being prepared for situations like this. I'm looking for good ways to educate the girls on self defense, and this sounds perfect.

Making society a better place to live

Dear Just Yell Fire activists,

My Name is Aya and I'm 17 years old from Egypt. I adore your idea about teaching girls how to fight back against sexual assault and raping.If you allow me I'd love to help you in applying the idea in the Egyptian society.There have been increasing number of rapping and sexual assault accidents and girls don't talk about that.I have downloaded the film and I learned so much and now I don't worry anymore about walking in the street freely.Anyway,if there's any ideas about how i can raise the awarness here in Egypt I'd love to be part of your campaign.I'm also a begginer activist in a non-profit organization called ( KONOZ ) that cares about making the society a better place to live. Thanks in advance.

Sincerely, Aya

I watched the Montel Williams show and I was impressed that such young girls have stepped up to help others. I have a daughter, and I think that this movie would benefit her, and give my husband and I a little peace, knowing that she has the information needed to ward off a possible attack.

I am the media Specialist at Wittenberg Elementary/Middle School and I just downloaded your "Just Yell Fire!" for our School nurse. In watching the beginning to see if the download worked, I was instantly drawn in by how good it was. I watched the entire program and will be having my 17 year old daughter watch it tonight. Thank you for making available such a well done presentation on a very important topic. Our pre-teen and teenage girls need to hear repeatedly that they have the right to say "NO!" and that they can change their minds. They also need to know what to do if they find themselves in one of these situations.

I came across your website while looking for self defence sites for my girls. I am humbled by your quest to educate all girls, no matter where they are at, of their rights and the power they have to take care of themselves. We hear about horror stories every day of abduction/assault and it is sad that we live in a such a world. I deeply admire your quest to change it, and hope in some small way i can assist in this quest.

THANK YOU for making this available. The statistics are out of control. It's time girls learned to stand up and take control of the situation - too long they have been seen as easy prey!! Thank you!