Self Defense and Girl Scouts?

It must be a sign of the times if the Girl Scouts are offering self defense classes. It is important to develop confidence and knowledge at a young age. Many times these classes, such as the one recently held for a group of Simi Valley Girls Scouts, is combined with a stranger danger class.

Many schools offer discussions involving stranger danger. Reinforcement and discussion is a great tool for developing skills to avoid dangerous situations and what to do if you find yourself at risk. Why not offer these classes through programs such as the girl scouts?

Unfortunately, there have been instances of children making up abduction stories. Just recently in the Seattle area a 10 year old girl claimed that she had been the victim of a kidnapping and had fought off her attacker. She stated that a man had grabbed her and her bike and taken her a couple miles away. She claimed that she fought hard enough that the man decided to release her on a busy street.

Self defense classes and stranger danger discussions are a great idea for all children. They should also be learning about the dangers of making false claims and involving the police and their local resources. Crimes involving the victimization of children are taken very seriously. Kids need to understand that they should speak up immediately if they encounter a problem and they also need to be aware of the severity of making up stories.

Self defense requires quick thinking. A little knowledge can also go a long way. Kids are capable of retaining that knowledge and reacting accordingly. There have been many success stories involving kids who have managed to get out of bad situations. It is terrific to see groups such as the Girl Scouts taking these issues seriously and empowering their girls.