Self-Defense Course Teaches Safety

Go online, and the information about violent crime against women can be scary.

Giving women the tools and confidence to protect themselves in any situation is the goal of "Don't Be a Victim," a free self-defense class taught at Wednesday night by Jeff Ellis, master instructor at in Avon Lake.

More than a half-dozen women, from college-age to middle-age, spent more than two hours learning techniques to help them get away from an attacker. Ellis taught how to effectively punch, chop and kick to fight back.

Self-defense is not about always about punches or kicks, Ellis said. Sometimes, it's jamming your fingers or car keys into the eyes of an attacker, or jabbing fingers to the throat, that can stop an attacker and let you get away. He encouraged strong yelling to help startle an attacker and draw attention to the attack.

Ultimately, Ellis said, it's about fighting for yourself.

"Simple skills can make the difference between you getting away, and your family never seeing you again," he said.