Robert Siciliano preached the gospel of personal security and self-defense Thursday to the mostly female audience of Salute to Women at the Grand River Center.
Salute to Women, sponsored by her magazine, American Trust & Savings Bank and the Riverview Center, included a luncheon, booths and a fashion show.
Siciliano, the keynote speaker, chided the audience because only a handful of women admitted knowing what to do in case of a personal attack. But all of the moms in the crowd indicated they would be ready to pounce on anyone who attacked one of their kids.
"You're too nice," he said.
Siciliano said that he has 20 years of security training. He is the author of "The Safety Minute: Living High on Alert; How To Take Control of Your Personal Security and Prevent Fraud."
"Violence is part of our culture," he said, describing some tough childhood encounters growing up in Boston.
He said he first became aware of violence toward women at age 13 when a girl he met at summer camp talked about being raped by her
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Siciliano has made it his mission to help women learn to be safe.
The bad guys are all around, he said.
"One in 100 people suffers from an anti-social personality. They don't show empathy. Their boundaries are different."
His advice when walking
* Maintain body language that projects strength.
* Don't slump.
* Walk with purpose.
* Maintain good posture.
* Project a tough facial expression.
* Use eye contact that "turns a man to stone" and doesn't seem welcoming.
* Be aware of your surroundings, especially things that are out of place.
* Be aware of the body language of others.
* Listen to your intuition.
* Mentally practice "what ifs" -- that is, figure out what you would do if something happened.
How to Fight back
* Use control words, such as "Stop!" or "No!" rather than "Help!" or "Rape!"
* Stand with hands up, elbows down, one foot in front, with a steady gaze.
* Go for the attacker's eyes.
* Go for the throat.
* Use a knee to the groin.
* Stomp on the foot.
* Kick or grab at the groin if forced to the ground.
"Eighty percent of women who fight back get away," Siciliano said.
"It's not what happens to you, it's what you do about it."
