Self-defence when the streets aren’t safe
I have been noticing more and more women going missing, as seen on my Facebook feed, Instagram stories, and in the news. Active investigations are ongoing for Shaelene Keeler Bell who was last seen in Chilliwack on Jan. 30 and Trina Hunt in Port Moody on Jan. 18. Women going missing in B.C. is obviously not a new problem, especially for Indigenous women who are much more likely to experience violence, go missing, or be murdered than any other race of Canadian women. However, these recent disappearances have raised some alarm, with a TikTok video that went viral a few weeks ago featuring a woman warning all other B.C. women to be on their guard, speculating that the disappearances could be connected and the actions of either local traffickers or a serial killer.
I found the TikTok video in a Facebook group I am in, and the thread stood out to me not only because of the shock value the video had, but the comment section that included dozens of accounts of women who shared stories of times they were stalked or in other sketchy situations involving a potential abduction. Many of these women didn’t report what had happened to them to the police because they didn’t know how seriously the police would take their case.
The RCMP in both Coquitlam and Chilliwack quickly refuted the rumors spread by social media posts like the aforementioned TikTok that advised women to “travel in pairs and carry self-defence weapons,” stating that there is no correlation between the two cases. The RCMP later issued an apology for what seemed like dismissive language when they addressed the social media posts about women missing in the Fraser Valley and assured women that their concerns are taken seriously. The RCMP warned that we can’t rely on social media for warnings of serial killers that could cause needless fear and frenzy, especially viral videos like TikToks that contain no reputable sources. But need I remind you of the sex workers and advocates in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside who warned the police for years in the 1990s that there was a serial killer on the loose, and that killer wasn’t caught by the RCMP until 2002?
While there may not be a serial killer on the loose, we live in a society where women are constantly under attack and do not feel safe, and it’s unclear how serious the police in the Lower Mainland are taking our concerns, which leaves women to come up with creative ways they can protect themselves. What to carry on you in terms of a weapon for personal protection is a pretty grey area in Canada. You cannot carry anything for the sole purpose of injuring or incapacitating someone, and you can only fight back with a proportionate amount of force to that which is being used against you. Some weapons that are out of the question are: cute keychains that double as eye gougers, tasers, batons, pepper or bear spray, switchblades, and even tactical lights.
However, there are some creative moves to fight off an aggressor in a tough situation. A popular technique women use when walking alone to their car is gripping their keys between their knuckles to be able to throw a more destructive punch. You can carry a noisemaker, like a whistle, or a cute and discrete alarm to draw attention to you. There are self-defence classes; the Fraser Valley offers plenty of martial arts classes and YouTube has endless tutorials. While you may not reach the lethal potency of Uma Thurman’s character in Kill Bill, a self-defence class could help you learn a few crucial moves to get away from an attacker. As well, learning how to defend oneself increases self-confidence and makes women less fearful of potential assaults.
There is the alternative strategy of subduing the attacker — de-escalating the aggression before it even starts, if this is possible. Women are much more likely to be attacked by someone they know as opposed to a random stranger. Learning how to set boundaries and be assertive are crucial components of self-defence. Telling someone with a firm, confident voice what you want and don’t want, standing with good posture, and walking with a confident stride are all strategies we can use to ward off attackers without giving them a kick to the groin or gouge to the eyeballs.
I would recommend everyone make an “If I Go Missing” folder, an idea that has been widely circulating thanks to the Crime Junkie podcast. Create a physical folder with recent photos of yourself, descriptions of distinct physical features, tattoos, or jewelry, your login passwords to social media accounts, computers, phones, and bank accounts, handwriting samples, a copy of your driver’s license, lists of places you frequent, and the contact information of your closest friends and family members. This folder should be placed in a secure location, but a location that is known by someone you trust, like a partner, parent, landlord, or best friend. A folder like this could potentially save your life in the unlikely event that you go missing.
As of writing this article, Shaelene Keeler Bell and Trina Hunt are still missing. I pray that one day we live in a society where women have better options to ward off an attacker than shining a flashlight in their face and a police force they can trust to find missing persons. But until then, I hope you stay safe.
(Celina Koops/The Cascade)
Andrea Sadowski is working towards her BA in Global Development Studies, with a minor in anthropology and Mennonite studies. When she's not sitting in front of her computer, Andrea enjoys climbing mountains, sleeping outside, cooking delicious plant-based food, talking to animals, and dismantling the patriarchy.
