Upcoming Event: Goose Creek PD Women's Self-Defense Classes

The Goose Creek Police Department hosts periodic women's self-defense classes.  These classes are free of charge and geared toward women without prior self-defense training.  Classes are taught by a certified instructor and involve hands-on instruction.  

The minimum age to attend these classes is 15 and those under 18 must have a parent or guardian's written approval.  Contact our Crime Prevention Specialist Kevin Scott at (843) 863-5200 ext. 317 or by e-mail at kscott@cityofgoosecreek.com to sign up for upcoming class(es). 

Upcoming classes are:

Wednesday, August 8th 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Wednesday, November 7th  6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. 

Information from http://www.cityofgoosecreek.com/default.asp?id=115742&catID=15452&action=detail&parentID=15425

Encouraging Story: 'I think they knew they messed with the wrong girl'

VANCOUVER, Wash. – A Vancouver woman said she used her martial art skills to defend herself after she says she was groped by one stranger and verbally harassed by another last week.

Priscilla Dang was out for a run in her own neighborhood when she says the incident happened on Padden Parkway between 94th and Andresen Road last Friday.

Two teens came up to her on their bikes.

"One went in front and made eye contact with me like a smirk, like I thought he was saying 'hi.' The next thing I knew I was pretty much groped on my bottom behind left side," Dang said.

She fought back and defended herself using her training in martial arts that she's been studying for 18 years. She's been mastering the skills of Kung Fu from her older brother. The family owns Summit Wushu Academy in Clackamas that teaches Chinese martial arts.

"So I grabbed him and said, 'You need to apologize, and he did,'" Dang said.

But it escalated when she says the second teen started swearing at her.

"It just made something snap in me – it's not OK. It's so disrespectful," Dang said.

That's when her Kung Fu background really kicked in as she punched him twice in the face.

"He started coming in for a few, and I was lucky enough to dodge his shots. I came up for another one and I got him good, and I think that upset him," she said.

After the second hit, Dang said the teen pulled out a four-inch blade.

"That was when my instinct came in to back off – don't get so close because he might grab me," she said.

Two people saw the confrontation and called 911. Dang wasn't hurt but thinks the teens definitely got the message.

"I think they knew they messed with the wrong girl," she said.

The suspects are 18 and 16 years old. The 16-year-old was released to his parents, and the 18-year-old, Josiah Sullivan, was arrested.

Investigators say they never found a knife. And they say in situations like this one they recommend people avoid confrontations.

Story from: http://www.katu.com/news/local/I-think-they-knew-they-messed-with-the-wrong-girl-159981385.html

By Meghan Kalkstein

Encouraging Story: Female Students Take Down Maine Slasher

(May 6) -- Five female students stopped a man from stabbing a woman to death on a college campus in Maine, forcing the man onto the ground and holding him until police arrived.

The women tackled 45-year-old Horst Wolk after they saw him attacking a 34-year-old nursing student with a knife Wednesday morning in the parking lot of Husson University in Bangor, Maine. Twenty-one-year-old Jesse Hladik -- who had just taken a self-defense course -- seized the knife, while the other women held Wolk to the pavement.

"It was really scary, but I'm glad we got involved," one of the students, 18-year-old Heather Mann, told The Associated Press. "Because I really think he would have killed her."

The nursing student, whose name has not been released, was treated at the hospital for non-life-threatening wounds and released. She had a restraining order against Wolk.

Police say it was the quick action of the five women who leapt to her defense that may have saved her life.

"The female students all banded together and took care of themselves today," Bangor Police Sgt. Paul Edwards told the Bangor Daily News. Police, he said, responded to a report that "several people were subduing a male suspect on the ground" and arrived to find that the women had overtaken the attacker.

Edwards said he's glad the women helped, but he cautioned against getting involved in such a dangerous situation.

"We would never recommend getting involved to the point where you might get hurt yourself and become a second victim," he said. "But am I proud of what they did? Of course I am. Am I glad they did it? Yeah. I'm happy because the outcome was good."

Julie Green, a spokeswoman for Husson University, said the school is "extremely proud" of its students. "They made a difference today," she said.

John Michaud, a criminal justice professor at Husson University, told the AP that he saw more women near the group ready to help out in case the women needed an extra hand.

"How many times do you hear about people walking by incidents like this?" he asked. "These young ladies weren't going to walk by this incident."

Wolk was charged with attempted murder, elevated aggravated assault, aggravated assault and violation of a protection order, the Daily News reported.

Story from: http://www.aolnews.com/2010/05/06/female-students-take-down-maine-slasher/ 

By Mara Gay

Serenity Self Defense, Round 2

In 2009, I learned of the murder of a young girl from Texas. Her name is Melanie Goodwin and her story completely changed my life. I was inspired to start a self-defense organization with the hopes of educating and training women in the Charleston area at no charge. However, being a full-time student while working 40 hours a week did not allow this to happen. I was contacted by many members in the community who were interested in helping Serenity come to life, but the timing just was not right. Here we are nearly three years later and I feel like the time is now. My schedule has adjusted vastly and I feel that I will be able to devote time and energy to this project, but this time the goal is different. 

* Instead of hosting training sessions, this website with exist to point people in the right direction. Charleston has numerous self-defense organizations and I will be listing upcoming events on this site. I will post weekly, and I hope that this website will be a place of encouragement and hope.

Weekly posts 

Safety tips and basic self-defense techniques 

Encouraging stories of victims who fought off their attackers

Victims of crime that are gone, but not forgotten

United States statistics regarding crime prevention

My long term goal is to become a certified self-defense instructor, and host fundraising events throughout the year to raise money for the Melanie Goodwin Scholarship Fund. After all, the Lord used her to direct me to this path.