LATEST NEWS:
All Woman
Children get abduction-prevention training
By NADINE WILSON All Woman writer
Monday, November 02, 2009
NOW, more than ever, children need to learn to defend themselves and being cognisant of this, the Jamaica Self-Defence Academy (JSDA) has started offering self-defence training to children as young as four years old.
Self-defence training is different from martial arts, in that the focus is solely on teaching children how to defend themselves when they are being abducted or attacked. Senior instructor for JSDA Adrian Stokes said a technique known as Intekai, which is used to train law enforcers and military personnel, is used to train the children. Children are taught abduction-prevention, escaping techniques, defensive skills, awareness training and readiness-conditioning.
 |
| Above: these warriors are not afraid to do some damage with their fists; at right, a basic front kick and below, when instructor Paul Montague pretends to try taking away eight-year-old Kathrine Bryan Rattray, her friend, seven-year-old Andrew Smart intervenes and both attack. (Photos: Garfield Robinson) |
 |
"The way we teach is that you immediately start to learn some self-defence, and it is not just the physical. You don't become too comfortable that if something triggers or something is not right with the picture, you can't follow your instincts, or put yourself in a safer position to deal with the situation or avoid it completely. The aim is not to get yourself into a situation, but if you do get yourself into that, how effectively can you get out of it," said Stokes.
JSDA was established in 1999 and is responsible for the Defensive Tactics Programme of the Jamaica Police Academy. Apart from this, the group goes into schools and social organisations such as churches to train persons in the area of self-defence.
"We never targeted children, more than summer programmes and so on, to the extent that we are doing it now," said Stokes. "Because of the increase in crimes against children now... parents tell them to be careful but they get easily distracted, so what you try and do from an early age is teach them certain behaviour patterns to keep them out of trouble and help them to be aware."
Stokes said the training helps them to develop their self-confidence and leads to self-empowerment.
"We realised the children really were suffering, hence the development, especially in the particular area of abduction. Even if they are there going along and they are not aware and something happens, what they can do, whether drawing attention to themselves, where they can strike, if needs be," she said.
The programme is essentially for four months, during which time the children are taught a combination of techniques and things like learning to shout or run away. Apart from this, children can also stay on after the four months and go up the grade system, similar to what happens with karate. This way they are taught more difficult techniques.
RSS Feeds