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Wednesday, 15 May, 2013, 5:33pm

Survival guide for women: how to fight off rape attempts

BIO

As a video reporter for the Post, Hedy spends most of her time roaming the streets talking to locals with interesting viewpoints. Born in mainland China and raised in Hong Kong, she tries to keep abreast of the latest happenings in both places. Whatever intriguing, whatever noteworthy, and whatever outrageous, will find their way into her blog.

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Zorica King, a self-defence instructor, demonstrates some moves

A woman is raped or sexually assaulted in Hong Kong every three hours, according to figures from the city's centre for sex abuse victims.

Many think Hong Kong is a safe place, but this sense of security leaves us poorly prepared for unexpected danger. A week ago, a 14-year-old girl was abducted, robbed and molested in Tai Po as she walked in the street during the early evening. According to police officers, the victim went with the man without protesting because she was "very scared".

Ninety-one cases of rape were reported to the city's police in 2011, down slightly from 112 cases in 2010. RainLily, Hong Kong's centre for sex abuse victims, says the true figure is much higher, with a woman raped or sexually assaulted in Hong Kong every three hours - but most cases are not reported. These figures are based on calls to their rape crisis centre hotline.

To arm readers against possible assaults, the Post invited Zorica King, the Hong Kong director of Krav Maga, a self-defence system designed to protect against street attacks, muggings and sexual assaults, to use real-life scenarios to demonstrate how women can employ simple techniques to ward off would-be attackers (see videos below).

"Don't think you're weaker just because you're smaller. Attack the guy's soft spots - his eyes, nose, mouth, thyroid, groin and joints. And remember - your body is your weapon," says the self-defence instructor.

Survival guide for women, Part 1: SAFETY TIPS

Video by Hedy Bok

Survival guide for women, Part 2: HOW TO ESCAPE NECK ATTACKS

Video by Hedy Bok

Survival guide for women, Part 3: HOW TO ESCAPE IN CASE OF RAPE

Video by Hedy Bok

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This article is now closed to comments

david.peters.98892 Jan 15th 2013
12:14pm

I am a black belt in karate. These techniques will work- if you are willing to practice them several times a week FOR YEARS. Otherwise you are likely to get your a$$ kicked. Don't get me wrong, this may be preferable to being raped but probably not to being beat to death.

rfvcde123 Jan 11th 2013
9:25pm

okay here we go
1 woman every 3 hours ---- 8 women a day --- 3000 women a year
That means 2900 women or 97% of victims go unreported...which is ridiculously high for a developed society like hk....

Snake Eyes Jan 14th 2013
1:17am

Reason for scepticism, I'd say.

rfvcde123 Jan 11th 2013
6:54pm

there is something that newspapers and journalists are supposed to do - it is called FACT CHECKING.
Statistic 1: 91 cases of rape during the whole 2012 year
Statistic 2: A woman is raped every 3 hours
a primary school student or even a kindergarten student would be able to spot the glaring inconsistency in the two numbers
STOP PULLING **** OUT OF YOUR **** - seriously, does a editor ever proofread these articles?

derek@clearwate... Jan 11th 2013
7:39pm

Perhaps you need to read more carefully because a primary school student would also find that the article clearly says 91 cases were 'reported to the city's police' in 2012. The true figure is 'much higher' at one every three hours (based on the calls to the rape crisis centre hotline) but 'most cases are not reported'.
That's why the two numbers don't make sense to you. They never said one every three hours is equivalent to 91 in 2012.
Don't ever apply for a job as an Editor.

Snake Eyes Jan 14th 2013
1:19am

Maybe it's you who should fact check. It says rape AND sexual assault, which can be as simple as dodgy behaviour on the MTR. Conflating the two, as this article does, is sensationalist nonsense and is even more demeaning of true victims of rape .

dannyfung Jan 14th 2013
1:33am

Sexual assault is not 'dodgy behaviour on the MTR'. Rape, attempted rape, being groped or otherwise transgressing physical boundaries with intentions of getting your rocks off is sexual assault.

Snake Eyes Jan 14th 2013
11:00am

Sexual assault gets defined as whatever activist groups choose to define it as. Particularly when they are compiling their own statistics. As in the categorisation here from an Aussie government bureau: "Sexual assault is defined as any sexual behaviour that makes a person feel uncomfortable, frightened or threatened. It is sexual activity to which a person does not consent. The use of emotional or physical violence to force another person to engage in sexual activity also constitutes sexual assault. Sexual assault can take various forms, some of which are criminal offences: touching, fondling, kissing; being made to look at, or pose for, pornographic photos; voyeurism; exhibitionism; sexual harassment; verbal harassment/innuendo; rape; incest/intrafamilial child sexual assault; stalking." Merging the trivial with the serious helps no one and just demonises a gender.

trista827 Jan 11th 2013
5:43pm

"A woman is raped or sexually assaulted in Hong Kong every three hours" sounds a frequent and shocking number.
other than self-defence, remember to stay alert and dont be a silent victim!