Osupurē Karate teaches women that self-defense starts with awareness

The first lesson at Sensei Glenn Raus' recent women's self-defense seminar wasn't how to throw a punch. It was how to avoid needing one in the first place. 

Inside Osupurē Karate on Daniel Island, women and girls ages 14 and older gathered for a free self-defense class focused on awareness, confidence, and simple techniques designed to create an opportunity to escape danger. 

For Raus, a fourth-degree black belt in Wado Ryu Karate and a third-degree black belt in the American Pressure Point Self Defense System, self-defense isn't about winning a fight – it's about recognizing danger, responding decisively, and getting away safely. 

"The goal is not to beat up your attacker nor submit them. It is your goal to do something that buys you enough time to get out of the situation." 

The seminar comes at a time when violence against women remains a persistent issue. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than one in three U.S. women have experienced contact sexual violence, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner during their lifetime, and many incidents involve someone the victim knows rather than a stranger. 

Raus said that reality often surprises people. 

"We are all taught to be leery of strangers," he said. "However, a large percentage of attacks are from people a female knows." 

Rather than relying on strength or martial arts experience, Raus taught participants to use movements they already perform every day. 

"We worked on some techniques that utilize movements like knocking on a door or flicking water off of your hand," he said. "Other things like stomping your feet, pushing open a door, clapping your hands, and banging your fist on a table can all be effective actions when targeted to certain areas of the body." 

The techniques, he said, are designed to target vulnerable areas of the body and can be effective regardless of an attacker's size. 

Beyond physical skills, much of the class centered on prevention. 

"Not being a target is best done by walking confidently, being present in the moments, paying attention to your surroundings, trusting your 'sixth sense,' and avoiding being distracted," Raus said. 

He also encouraged women, particularly those who are dating, to stay alert in social situations. 

"Awareness is your best self-defense technique," he said. "For women of dating age, avoid getting inebriated and losing your cognitive clarity." 

Raus said the idea for the seminars came after his wife, who was pregnant with their daughter at the time, safely diffused an uncomfortable encounter with a man at a fast-food restaurant by remaining confident, assertive, and drawing on her karate training. Becoming a "girl dad," he said, only reinforced the importance of helping other women feel prepared. 

"The seminar went great," he said. "The ladies did a fabulous job trying the techniques, asked some wonderful questions, and had a lot of fun. I hope that each of them leftwith a better sense of empowerment and understanding on how to protect themselves."