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Sex attacks put women on guard
The Australian ^ | 10/29/06 | Kate Patterson

Posted on 10/30/2006 11:27:49 AM PST by kiriath_jearim

FRIGHTENED women are learning self-defence, arming themselves with personal security alarms and exercising in groups following a spate of sex attacks across Brisbane.

In the latest attack on Friday night, a man tried to drag a 20-year-old woman into bushes at Daw Rd, Runcorn, on the southside, but she managed to fight him off.

Police are now investigating at least two rapes and about 25 sexual assaults on bikeways and jogging areas since January.

They are hunting a serial predator believed responsible for many of the attacks, and several copycat offenders.

State Labor MP for northside Ashgrove Kate Jones, 27, said the assaults had changed women's behaviour.

"They feel like they have to be far more vigilant and take safety precautions," she said.

" I haven't gone walking without taking a whistle and a mobile phone with me just in case anything happens, and I know other women my age in the area that do the same."

Accountant Nirvana McBeath, 33, said she was too scared to exercise alone after a man exposed himself to her on a bikeway.

"I was really scared, and I felt threatened because I felt isolated and I didn't know what to do," she said.

Ms McBeath has joined a gym so she can exercise indoors and goes jogging only once a week with a group of friends.

"I just wouldn't risk it by going out on my own. My friends have all joined the gym, too.

"We all feel scared. It's ruined the beauty of being able to go out for a jog and enjoy exercise. You don't feel like you can do that freely.

"My husband has taken it a step further and bought me a dog. He's not happy for me to jog on my own, either."

(Excerpt) Read more at theaustralian.news.com.au ...


TOPICS: Australia/New Zealand; Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Foreign Affairs
KEYWORDS: banglist; islam
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To: Sir Francis Dashwood

Nice and effective but a little hard to justify without an surgeon's license....:))


61 posted on 10/30/2006 5:40:48 PM PST by Salamander (And don't forget my Dog; fixed and consequent.......)
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To: bluetone006

"Car keys border on useless."

Not if carried on one of those long neck-strap thingies popular these days.
Carry enough keys [and an army issue can opener] and a good swing of that's gonna leave a very memorable mark.


62 posted on 10/30/2006 5:44:33 PM PST by Salamander (And don't forget my Dog; fixed and consequent.......)
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To: Tamar1973

Uh...that *looks* like it has a tiny little light sabre on it.....:))


63 posted on 10/30/2006 5:48:23 PM PST by Salamander (And don't forget my Dog; fixed and consequent.......)
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To: Salamander

You need a license in Australia to have a scalpel?


64 posted on 10/30/2006 6:18:47 PM PST by Sir Francis Dashwood (LET'S ROLL!)
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To: Salamander; All
Very nice dagger.

I love mine.

The Applegate remake of the Sykes-Fairbairne is a lot better.

I think Kenton is right.

I think we may have to think practical here though.

Any ideas?

Arioch7 out.

65 posted on 10/30/2006 6:29:13 PM PST by Arioch7
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To: bluetone006
Good post.

Mixed Martial Arts? Explain.

Arioch7

66 posted on 10/30/2006 6:31:58 PM PST by Arioch7
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To: kiriath_jearim
" I haven't gone walking without taking a whistle and a mobile phone with me just in case anything happens, and I know other women my age in the area that do the same."

Just a thought; that is all good and all, why not take a gun(2nd ad)or at least a knife?... : ) <<< me

67 posted on 10/30/2006 6:42:22 PM PST by stopsign ("What great fortune for government, That people don't think"....Der Fuhrer. Hummm.... : ) <<< me)
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To: Salamander
I cannot over-stress how sharp and deadly this thing is.

That is the point. It is against the law to carry a knife over 4 1/2" and ya can't carry a double bladed knife of any size. I do like your attitude tho... : ) <<< me

68 posted on 10/30/2006 6:54:03 PM PST by stopsign ("What great fortune for government, That people don't think"....Der Fuhrer. Hummm.... : ) <<< me)
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To: stopsign; All

Do y'all realize it is against the law to have a base ball bat in your car?... : ) <<< me


69 posted on 10/30/2006 7:23:07 PM PST by stopsign ("What great fortune for government, That people don't think"....Der Fuhrer. Hummm.... : ) <<< me)
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To: Salamander
Never been in a fight have you? I mean a real fight where you are literally trying to kill your opponent and he is trying to kill you. Not a stupid bar brawl or a high school slap fest.

If you hit me full in the face with your keys I would blink and maybe bleed a little but otherwise not hesitate while I took you down and had my way with you. Please do not rely on your keys.

70 posted on 10/30/2006 7:37:10 PM PST by bluetone006 (Peace - or I guess war if given no other option)
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To: Arioch7
Mixed Martial Arts: I have studied martial arts since the mid 80's including 3 years under Shizuya Sato in Tokyo. Starting about then, in the US, groups of martial artists got together and decided to hold almost rules free fighting bouts (no gloves, no pads, only a groin cup and the most basic of rules - no eye gouging etc.) in order to see what martial arts were really the best - were actually effective. It was quickly discovered that most traditional martial arts were not very effective and that Jujitsu and believe it or not western wrestlers were winning the majority of bouts. What has evolved since then is a loose style referred to as mixed martial arts that is a combination of western boxing, Thai boxing (Muay Thai), Jujitsu, and western wrestling. It is real fighting, tested in the real world.

If you really want to be able to fight it is quite superior to any of the traditional styles. Not to say there aren't good skills to be learned in many traditional styles - especially when it comes to weapons use.

However, now that I think about it the most practical basic knife fighting manual I have is the USMC field manual FM0-7. I digress. I don't watch TV but I understand Spike TV shows UFC bouts (ultimate fighter championship ra ra). These are tamed down version of the original fights but still an excellent example of the art. Please do not confuse this with "professional" wrestling. Cheers,

71 posted on 10/30/2006 7:57:21 PM PST by bluetone006 (Peace - or I guess war if given no other option)
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To: Sir Francis Dashwood

It's not the licensing that's a problem; it's the "plausible denial" factor when toting it around.


72 posted on 10/30/2006 8:48:32 PM PST by Salamander (And don't forget my Dog; fixed and consequent.......)
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To: stopsign

It's also against the law to kill me and I intend to make perps obey that law myself since it will probably take *too* long for the LEO to come help.

My attitude is stay alive first, *then* worry about a lawyer..;D


73 posted on 10/30/2006 8:52:32 PM PST by Salamander (And don't forget my Dog; fixed and consequent.......)
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To: bluetone006

I'd never rely solely on keys though some women seem to have nothing else at their disposal.

Read the rest of my posts.
I *did* advise an alternative to *just* keys because really, they're not much use except to possibly buy a little running time.

My *keys* are the least of an attacker's concerns.


I am a woman.
I do not engage in fist fights or bar brawls.

"while I took you down and had my way with you."

This will never happpen.
One way or another, one of us will die.

As I mentioned before, there's "backstory" involved.
There's a reason why I carry what I do and I'm deathly serious about using them, if I must.



74 posted on 10/30/2006 9:13:15 PM PST by Salamander (And don't forget my Dog; fixed and consequent.......)
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To: Salamander
See post #36. It's enough to go through an eye socket into a brain. Now *that* would really ruin a perp's day.

A deer spike. How ingenious! No problem at airports, and in its' own way, quite politically correct.

After all, like the noble Indians, you're trying to make use of all parts of the deer, and it's 100% natural and organic!

You didn't get that idea from "Braveheart" did you? Seems to me that the crazy Irish guy in that movie pulled one of those on one of Mel Gibsons' lieutenants in one scene.

75 posted on 10/31/2006 8:49:35 AM PST by Kenton
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To: Salamander
"My dad had a 3 foot length of logging chain welded to a handle behind his truck seat."

Very ingenious and devious. ;>)

My grandaddy was a logger. My uncle still has some of his old log chain and a few 'J-grabs' to boot. Definitely heavy duty stuff.

"You should've seen what one swing of that thing would do a galvanized 40 gallon steel trash can."

Yup, I can imagine. It would definitely 'put a hurtin' on flesh and bone, provided that you were in close, and the orc was unarmed or lacked skill at arms.

" It was like a Scottish war hammer. Sometimes it the simple "medieval" things that work best....:)"

Ah....the good ol' days. I'd love to have a broad sword. However; there's a lot to recommend re: modern weaponry.

"Gotta go get groceries now."

I hope you grocery hunt was uneventful.

Stand Fast

/jasper

76 posted on 10/31/2006 2:30:29 PM PST by Jasper (Stand Fast, Craigellachie !)
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To: Kenton

I've had that thing on my keychain since '91.
[I've also had a brass Claddagh medallion on there since '79]...LOL!

I've dropped it onto blacktop and concrete and always expected it to break but it never has.
[unlike the 6 inch boar tusk that used to hang beside of it]
I keep several spike antlers in reserve, just in case, but it seems that it's going to last a very long time.

I was a bit freaked [and overjoyed] to see the Wallace whip out a similar antler during the village fight scene.

When the English outlawed swords [and kilts and bagpipes] ingenious Scotsmen were forced to use whatever else was at hand and a sharpened stag's horn was a common weapon.

So yeah, I guess I could fall back on the PC "it's part of my cultural heritage" excuse....;D


77 posted on 10/31/2006 4:19:14 PM PST by Salamander (And don't forget my Dog; fixed and consequent.......)
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To: Jasper

At this point, I'm sure you'll not be shocked to hear that I have 2 broadswords, 1 two-handed long sword, 1 "El Cid" replica sword, 1 hand made "Excalibur" sword, [forged by the Nez Perce/Irish flint knapper...a very multi-talented guy] several hand-carved wooden "practice swords", 1 cutlass, 1 Confederate officer's sword and 1 Katana.

[hey, I never said I was a "normal" dame]....LOL!

My dad logged in his spare time, too.
Therefore, it was perfectly acceptable for him to be carrying bits and pieces of heavy chain in his truck.
You never know when you might need to repair something, eh?....:)

[and my dad is probably why I'm not a "normal" dame]












78 posted on 10/31/2006 4:32:36 PM PST by Salamander (And don't forget my Dog; fixed and consequent.......)
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To: Salamander
So yeah, I guess I could fall back on the PC "it's part of my cultural heritage" excuse....;D

Me too. Last night (being Halloween and all) I walked into my local pub wearing my greatkilt and strapped with my broad sword in it's baldric.

I surrendered the claymore and my skein dubh to the bartender, and they kindly consented to serve me.... ;)

79 posted on 11/01/2006 5:21:10 AM PST by Kenton
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To: Kenton

"I walked into my local pub wearing my greatkilt and strapped with my broad sword in it's baldric"


*swoon!*


Marry me!


;D


80 posted on 11/01/2006 12:13:54 PM PST by Salamander (And don't forget my Dog; fixed and consequent.......)
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