Stop! Don't Bother Me!

When I joined the Junior League of Columbia, I certainly did not imagine that I would find myself in a room full of League Women, early on a Saturday morning, screaming at the top of my lungs, "STOP! Don't Bother Me!" But alas, that is exactly what happened on the morning of January 21, 2012.

Usually, we are a community of hospitable women with the spirit of community and volunteerism running through our veins. However that morning, our blood was rushing for a completely different reason - Self Defense.

Thanks to the Membership Satisfaction Committee, a group of us participated in a 4-hour class to learn about safety and self defense. Each year, this committee develops programs for the benefit of our members - so this class was part of the annual lineup that also included an Evening Out at Pout, a Halloween party and a Photo 101 workshop, to name a few.

Deputy Torres, a member of the Community Action Team (C.A.T), with the Richland County Sherriff's Department, taught this class for our members. While Deputy Torres works in a role that involves community action, she volunteers her time to teach women these techniques in self defense.

The program is for women only, and as the website explains, sets out to "empower us to recognize our strengths and make sound decisions when faced with a potentially dangerous situation." Of course, the hope is that we will never have to use these skills, but feel confident and prepared if we are ever forced into such a scenario. Essentially, we learned ways to minimize our chances of becoming a victim that included physical tactics aimed at disabling an attacker long enough to escape.

When practicing each scenario routine, the first thing we all yelled was, "Stop! Don't Bother Me!" This tactic invites others in the area to become aware and possibly involved in what is happening. We are grateful that Deputy Torres volunteered her personal time to teach this program to our group. She also spent some time reviewing some best practices regarding personal safety and a few of those tips are shared for you below:

· Do not act or look like an easy target - walk confidently, purposefully, and briskly.
· Always be familiar with your surroundings. (Be Alert)
· Always approach your vehicle with the keys ready and phone in your pocket.
· If you see or sense problems while walking, change your route.
· If you are a runner, change your route regularly.
· Never get into a car, never. Even if someone has a knife or gun. Run and scream. Getting
into the car reduces your chance of survival since they can take you to a secluded location.
· Always park in well-lit locations.
· Be suspicious of anyone approaching your car.


If you took the class and want to commend Deputy Torres, or any RCSD employee, please commend an officer using their website form. If you missed the class, or want to get a group of your own together, visit the RCSD website for more information. Thanks to Alicia Harper and the Member Satisfaction Committee for another great program!

The program information included this quote, which sums it up nicely: "The paradox of self-defense is that the more prepared you are, the less likely you are to need it. When you can recognize and respond effectively to potentially dangerous situations, you are more confident in your everyday activities. You are also less likely to become a target of crime."

Post by: Cameron Risher