Wilmington police teach women the mental side of self-defense
WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Self-defense is not just about knowing how to fight back or get away from a threat. Wilmington police instructors say knowing how to recognize potential danger and stay aware of your surroundings can be just as important.
The Wilmington Police Department’s women’s self-defense classes teach both physical and mental skills designed to help participants respond with confidence when it matters most.
“At the end of it, they do come out confident, feeling empowered,” said Elizabeth Kendall, a uniformed patrol officer with the Wilmington Police Department.
Kendall is also an instructor for the department’s four-day women’s self-defense class, which is designed for women of all experience levels.
“They want to be confident in if something does happen, can I defend myself?”
The class covers physical fundamentals, including establishing personal space and using the proper stance. Kendall also emphasizes mental preparation, which she says can be critical during a traumatic event when the brain may focus on survival rather than details.
“If you don’t teach your brain to pay attention to all those details when a situation does happen, you won’t be able to tell what happened to me, how it happened, where it happened, or even where you are in that moment,” said Kendall.
One technique taught in the class is “SIP,” or sensory information processing. The exercises are designed to help participants make awareness of their surroundings a habit.
“We tell them ‘Hey, pick a color and just kind of scan the room in a 360 direction and then when you come back and face me, tell me everything you see in that color,’” said Kendall.
Kendall says the technique can help women remember everyday details, including street signs and the color, make, and model of vehicles around them.
That awareness can also help law enforcement if an incident occurs by giving officers more specific information about a suspect and where the incident happened.
“That way, when you do have a chance to call, you give all those details out, the quicker we can get into the area and find that person,” said Kendall.
The next women’s self-defense class begins Sept. 16. Applications are available online through the City of Wilmington.
