Seminar on how to avoid becoming a victim

Assemblymember William Scarborough hosted Street Ready, an Urban Street Crime Prevention and Self Defense Seminar in conjunction with The New York Anti-Crime Agency held at Roy Wilkins Park.
The seminar/workshop was conducted by Anthony Meloni, a certifies crime prevention specialist and women’s self-defense counselor who is the executive director and founder of the Anti-Crime Agency. He has spent the past 24 years teaching people how to avoid being a victim of a crime.
Meloni emphasized the importance of being aware of your surroundings without letting paranoia or irrational fears dictate your life.
For many years, people were advised not to fight back. He advised fighting back as soon as possible so that you don’t become a passive victim. Referring to the recent series of attempted rapes and sexual assaults in the southeast Queens community, he pointed out 9 of the 13 assaults were not completed. Nine of the women got away.
If someone is trying to assault you, he said, make noise. Scream. Even screaming STOP forcefully often scares the attacker away. He demonstrated various techniques for thwarting an attack or assault. Meloni said age or height or strength is not a determining factor to people’s success in fighting back. It’s knowing what to do and using body parts as leverage.
Most assaults take less than a minute or two, he said. The first line of defense in an attack or assault is you. He discussed improvised weapons, such as a rolled up magazine which you would use to jab someone trying to assault you with the end.
Meloni also advised people to call their local precinct and get a security survey. Each precinct has a Crime Prevention Officer who will visit your home and tell you what you need to do to prevent a crime and keep you safe.
Meloni will be back in southeast Queens on Saturday, October 25 at the Second Annual Family Well Being and Community Health Day being held at Roy Wilkins Park from noon to 6 p.m. The event is being sponsored by southeast Queens Parks Association and Scarborough, as well as all the local elected officials.