Picture this: It’s a typical Saturday night. You’re with a few of your closest girlfriends enjoying a night out on the town. The bartender just announced last call and the crowds head for the door. At the last minute, you decide to skip the cab ride home with your mates and instead walk the two blocks to where you parked your car. It’s dark and you carry your keys like your mother taught you to, securely between your index and middle finger. All of a sudden and out of nowhere, you feel a large arm snake across your body and an unfamiliar voice screaming at you to keep quiet.

It’s an all too familiar scenario that snarls up at us from the headlines every day. One in four women will experience a rape or an attempted rape at least once in their lives. The memory of 20-year-old Sabina Rose O’Donnell’s murder last summer still leaves a painful reminder about the potential threats lurking in dark alleys.

But women don’t have to be victims. This is one of the lessons Master Lawrence Whitaker of Northern Liberties’ Urban Defense Center wanted to get across in the free self defense classes he offered during the month of June. Over the five weeks that he hosted the class, about 50 students participated.

“My sister was killed because of domestic violence,” stated Whitaker. “After Sabina was killed right around the corner, I thought enough is enough.”

According to Whitaker, his program can teach his students something on the first day and gives them the option to see violence before it can happen.

“It’s real life information that you can use tonight,” Whitaker said.

Karin Lange, an assistant instructor at Urban Defense Center, has been a student of Whitaker’s for over six years.

“Lawrence’s intention with this class was to try and increase safety in the community and around the city,” Lange said. “He wanted to provide free classes to men and women so that they could become more aware of how to prevent an attack if they saw one or if it was happening to them.”

The class concentrates on three important aspects of self defense, including space, evasion, and engagement. The rule of space encourages people to keep a safe distance between themselves and strangers. Evasion teaches the students how to move or block a person if they get too close, and engagement shows them how to use different self defense techniques, such as finger strikes and stomp kicks, to fight for their lives.

“The classes give people a sense of empowerment,” said Lange. “It gives them options for their lives. You can choose to take control of the situation and get home safely.”

Nina Campellone attended three of Whitaker’s classes.

“All women should take a self defense class, said Campellone. “A lot of us do not know how to fight. This class taught me how to be observant and keep my personal space from somebody I don’t know too well.”

Besides taking a self defense class, there are many other things women can do to protect themselves from a potential attack.

“Always take a cab or park valet and never walk home alone,” recommends Whitaker. “Know your limits. If you’re out with your friends and drinking, have somebody monitor the situation. And never fight or lose your life over property. Just let them have it.”

Erik Omland, a bouncer at The Barbary in Fishtown, suggests women should stay in large groups and always stay alert.

“The best thing that you can do, weekend night or not, is stay in a group. The larger the group the better—there is safety in numbers,” Omland stated. “The best protection is being alert, not scared, alert. Don’t give a bad guy a chance to surprise you. And if that does happen be prepared on what you should do. Get some self defense training. Get some mace or pepper spray. Know how it works, buy two. […] Education and training are key. Take a self defense course. Follow up by actually practicing what you learned.”

Former Fishtown resident Mary Newsom never goes out by herself at night and when she does, she makes sure at least one other person knows where she is.

“I try to take the streets that are more commonly traveled and are well lit,” Newsom said. “Also, the real education needs to start with all genders. It can’t just be up to us, or else it’s victim blaming and completely counter-productive.”

Never leave a bar by yourself or walk alone during the nighttime. Either leave with friends or take a cab. If you do find yourself alone at night, try to walk on busy, well lit streets. Try to keep personal distance between yourself and strangers and always be alert and aware of your surroundings. In the instance of an attack, try stomp-kicks to the shins using the ball of your foot or finger jabs to the eyes. The most vulnerable parts of a person are the eyes, throat, nose, groin, knees and feet. Try aiming for at least one of these locations. Also try keeping a discreet bottle of pepper spray on your keychain and know how to use it.

The more women and men who educate and prepare themselves against violence, the fewer victims there will be.

For more information regarding Master Lawrence Whitaker’s self defense classes visit www.phillyurbandefense.com.