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 just watched the 'Montel Williams Show' and saw your segment. I was very impressed with the young girls and their inspirational story. I have a young daughter who we talk to on a regular basis about what to do in an emergency situation, along with weekly classes of karate. Unfortunately for her father and I we may have more reason to be overly protective of our kids...almost eight years ago my husband's sister was kidnapped and later found murdered, the killer still remains unknown. I feel that this DVD could bring us comfort in knowing that if faced with a dangerous situation our children would have a better advantage of getting away safely!
Thanks for your story and God bless you for sharing this with the nation!
Not only does your video help teen girls & women, but I want to order one to have my young son watch it to help fight off any child predator that might try to abduct him. I really think your video should be shown to all young children as well to prepare them for circumstances that may arise such as attempted child abduction. Unfortunately we see all too often on the news what happens to young children who are caught off guard by these predators. Your video is a wonderful tool to help better prepare children to defend themselves. Again, thank you for making such a wonderful video to help others.
I will pass the word on to everyone I know.
Thank You for what you have done for every girl in this country....
Having been a survivor of date rape in my teens I try to educate my 14 yr old daughter daily but sometimes I think it falls on deaf ears I'm hoping this DVD will EMPOWER her the way I was not...
Thanks Again.
Watched the DVD last night with my daughter. She enjoyed the insight and tips provided. She will be having some of her friends over to watch as well. She is talking about taking it to school and asking the counselor if she can show it to other female students!
Thank you so much for this project.