Women learn self-defense at Forest City YMCA

Women learn self-defense at Forest City YMCA FOREST CITY | Women learned how to fend off potential assaults during a self-defense course last week at the Forest City YMCA. One of the instructors, Betsy Marmaras, advised them to strike quickly and effectively. "And then you get the heck out of there as fast as you can," she said. Marmaras and fellow instructor Teresa Coombs had the participants practice escape techniques, such as pivoting with their body, if someone grabs them by the arm. Pulling an assailant's hair or blowing out a knee are also ways to defend yourself so you have time to get away, Marmaras said. Women of a variety of ages as well as teens attended the program's three one-hour classes. Students entering ninth grade or older were eligible to attend. "A lot of women in this class have had negative experiences (with assault)," Marmaras said. Self-defense classes are important because one out of five women will be assaulted or raped during her ilfetime, according to Marmaras. "An assertive response can prevent as many as 80 percent of potential assaults," she said. Marmaras, the Health Living Lead at the Forest City YMCA, has been teaching self-defense courses for 20 years. She currently holds a black belt in Taekwondo and a brown belt in Hapkido, a Korean form of self-defense that employs joint locks, grappling, and throwing techniques. Coombs, the owner of Jishin Kenpo, has studied Shaolin Kenpo for 25 years and has a second-degree black belt. The two of them have offered the self-defense program twice before in Forest City, once at the YMCA and once at Waldorf University. In addition to teaching self-defense techniques, they also raise awareness to help avoid potentially dangerous situations. During one of last week's classes, Marmaras told participants if they think someone is following them, they should head to a public place such as a grocery store or a gas station instead of going home. Marmaras also said if they have their earbuds in to listen to music on their phone while walking, they won't be able to hear someone coming up behind them. She told participants if they are attacked, they should make a lot of noise to call attention to what's happening. When the women were practicing escape techniques, she had them add a loud "Leave me alone!" Fear spreads over tainted eggs despite low risk to consumers Vadim Ghirda | Posted: Friday, August 11, 2017 2:40 pm An egg lies on the ground at a chicken farm in Gaesti, southern Romania, Friday, Aug. 11, 2017. The European Union said Friday that it plans to hold an extraordinary meeting late next month over a growing tainted egg scandal as it revealed that products contaminated with an insecticide have now spread to 17 countries. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda) 14 MORE IMAGES TAGGED WITH "APFOODWIRE" 14 MORE IMAGES TAGGED WITH "WORLDAPWIRENEWS" 14 MORE IMAGES TAGGED WITH "BUSINESS" Bosnia: Sarajevo defense commander charged with war crimes Bosnia: Sarajevo defense commander charged with war crimes Dec. 29, 2016 https://apnews.com/fddad24352f34593b4419b6449404435 Link copied! SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina (AP) — Prosecutors in Bosnia have charged the commander of special police units in Sarajevo during the 1992-95 siege of the city by Bosnian Serb forces with war crimes over the execution of eight captured enemy combatants. The Bosnian prosecutor's office said in a statement Thursday that Dragan Vikic and three former Bosnian police officers were charged over their roles in the 1992 killings in the center of Sarajevo. The eight Serb soldiers had been captured after their armored personnel carrier broke down on the outskirts of the city. Vikic and one officer were charged with "failing to arrest, process and sanction" persons responsible for the crime and "failing to prevent removal of evidence and hiding of the bodies." Two other officers were charged with participation in the crime.