“Now, firstly, I want to say something that you may not have thought of. When we get into the training, it’s going to be hands-on. Some of you might find that confrontational, for any number of reasons. You may fear not having control of your own situation, and that is just one of the things we want to deal with in this class.” He paused and let them digest his words.
“You might have found yourself in a situation already that you couldn’t control. It’s possible you will panic either way, but don’t let that put you off trying. I want you to use that fear, that anger, to protect yourself. I want you to harness that unease and use it where it will best help you. You won’t be a victim ever again.”
A young woman Aggie didn’t know spoke up. “I’m not sure I follow.”
“That’s perfectly fine,” Ben explained. “When confronted with violence, it’s easy to freeze up, to panic. That could happen here tonight even though we’re in a perfectly safe environment and you all know me. It’s your body’s fight or flight response kicking in—it’s automatic, a basic instinct we all have. What I have to do is teach you how to make that work to your advantage, not to let it be the thing that stops you taking charge of the situation.”
“Right. Got it.” She skipped on the spot. “Tell me more.”
Ben grinned. “Some of what I’m going to teach you is pretty simple. Like for example, when you’re walking down the street and someone, a man perhaps, or anyone you don’t know, comes toward you. How do your react until you get past him?”
“Look away.”
“Look down.”
“Pretend you don’t see him.”
“Don’t make eye contact.”
Everyone answered except for Aggie. She felt the dread creeping in.
Ben shook his head. “Here’s why that might not be the best answer.” He started walking in a large circle. “Walk toward me.”
The ladies did as he asked while keeping a distance from him. “As I walk toward you, if you’re looking away, what happens?”
Minnie Walker, a schoolteacher, answered, “You leave yourself open to attack?”
“Exactly.” Ben clapped his hands. “What you’re doing is making yourself vulnerable and an assailant will know that because you give off a frightened vibe even if you don’t mean to. It makes you an easy target. But if you look him in the eye, say hello, and let him know you’re aware he’s there, what do you think happens?”
“You let him know that if he tries anything, you can identify him?” Minnie clapped her hands.
“You got it. It’s amazing how something so simple can make a big difference. Don’t go around with your eyes down, hoping something doesn’t happen. You can make all the difference by standing tall, squaring off your shoulders and being direct. Give off that ‘don’t mess with me’ attitude.”
It made sense, but Aggie still had tension creeping up her back.
“What I want to teach you first is how to get out of a hold if someone grabs you. Who’s going to volunteer to start this off? You all need to do this tonight but I need one of you to go first so I can demonstrate.”
Minnie stepped forward, a big grin on her face. “I will.”
“Great, thanks, Minnie. Now remember, it’s okay to feel the adrenaline but try not to let it dictate your actions. Don’t freeze. Use it to your advantage like I said.” Ben moved back. “What I’m going to do is walk toward you, put my hands on your shoulders, and then I’ll talk you through how to get out of that hold. Okay?”
Minnie nodded while Aggie’s heart started to race as she watched them. She wrapped her arms around herself and stepped back a few paces behind the other women.
Ben started walking toward Minnie and when they were close, he reached out and grabbed her. She jolted but remained calm. “Put your palms together, raise them up between my arms, and spread them out. Then strike downwards.”
Minnie did as he said and got herself free. “Wow, so simple.” She turned to the group, a huge smile on her face, then back to Ben. “Do that again but really try to hang onto me.”
Ben complied and Minnie broke out of his hold a second time. She turned back to the other women, eyes wide with excitement. “That’s insane. I never would’ve thought it would be that easy.”
Aggie wanted to throw up. She’d suffered all this time when something as simple as that move could’ve set her free? She stood frozen watching as each student tried to get out of Ben’s hold. Not one of them failed.
“Aggie.” Ben stood in front of her. “Your turn.”
She wanted to run from the room but this could be a turning point for her. A move she could use to free herself from the hell she’d lived in for the last two years. If she could muster the courage to take that step.
He smiled and held out his hand, inviting her to take that step.
Aggie sucked in a breath and glanced around the room at the smiles of achievement on the women’s faces. She saw encouragement and compassion, which overrode the furious pounding in her heart. “Okay. Let’s do this.”
With her legs trembling, she walked toward Ben, careful to keep her gaze on his face. But when he grabbed her shoulders, she panicked.
His fingers dug into her skin and for a moment she was lost, back in time. She could feel his drunken breath on her face, the smell of damp leaves. ‘You look so pretty. I’m gonna have me a piece of you.’ Her dinner threatened to surface and the edges of her peripheral vision darkened.
“Focus, Aggie.”
She blinked, anger taking over the fear. Everything she’d gone through churned in her gut. No more. She was done playing the victim. She could do this.
Aggie put her palms together and brought them up between Ben’s arms before her
