Basically, the biggest tip on a standard self-defense situation is awareness. When you are attacked, you are not paying attention. Day or night, you are going to get attacked if you are not paying attention and not looking around. You don't look around out of fear; you look around to be aware. Once you get into the confrontation, use what you have. If you are a woman and you have a purse, use your purse; a man has a belt, he should use the belt. When they close in and they grab you, the head is great shot. Women's hands aren't as strong as a man's. If you practice hitting something, you will gain strength. The first time you hit something, your wrist is not going to be in the right spot and you will jack up your hand. You can jack up your hand so you need to try striking the face, try going for the eyes, or striking to the nose. However, if they are too close and they have grabbed you, elbows to the head are great. You are not going to hurt your arm by using your elbows and striking the attacker's face, or a knee into the groin. Imagine a woman with a high heel stomping that stiletto on top of some guy's foot or striking with the side of your shoes and grazing all the way down the shin. Imagine how that is going to feel. But once you stunned the guy, now you've got to work on how exactly you get out. You've got to move in a circle; move your arms, and move your feet. It is like a foreign language: if you never practice it, you will never learn or master it.
