Suggested Activity: Self-Defence Training

A most horrific story in the news today reminded me to follow up on my abandoned attempts at self-defence (I did one class but felt terribly awkward, as we practised in the same room as black-belt karate people: basic judo accompanied by yells is humiliating at the best of times, worse when surrounded by professionals)...

A 29-yr old bushwalker (how did such a boring activity become so dangerous?!)feared for her life as she had the crap bashed out of her by a resident nutter who uttered the fear-inducing words: "If you struggle then I will kill you." Jeepers!



She said - after her 5 hours of surgery to repair tendons in her hands, an artery in her neck and a fractured eye socket - her self-defence training from school kicked in, as it became immediately apparent to her that he was "probably going to kill me".

The man reportedly attacked as she gave him directions. "He punched me in the face a couple of times; I saw lights. He had me round the throat on the ground." She screamed and fought back, and the man ran away. She then called her parents (wow - she had reception??) and dialled 000.

Not surprisingly, waiting for help to arrive, not knowing if her attacker was coming back, was one of the scariest moments in her life.



Blue Mountains crime manager, Inspector Mick Bostock, refused to comment on reports that police were seeking a known person with a record of sexual assault. The plot thickens... That type of thing really needs to be public knowledge, no? I sure as hell wouldn't bushwalk (actually, insert a full-stop there) alone if I knew that little fact...