Richmond Hill residents now have a fighting chance against sexual predators who have been terrorizing women in southeast Queens.
In light of the recent patterns of sexual attacks in the surrounding areas, Sensei Ricky Singh of Dojo Warriors equipped a little more than a dozen women and men with vital keys to self-defense at the Richmond Hill Block Association’s monthly meeting on October 26.
Of the countless sexual attacks in Queens, a 44-year-old female was assaulted on September 22 while she entered her home in Queens Village. On October 13, a 20-year-old woman was also raped in the vicinity of 108th Drive and Merrick Boulevard in Jamaica, and more recently, two female victims in Laurelton were sexually assaulted, suffering a myriad of injuries afterward.
Association board members said they wanted residents to be prepared and cautious even though the recent attacks did not occur in Richmond Hill.
Singh — who has practiced martial arts for 13 years — taught residents how to stand up for themselves in quick and effective ways.
First, he said to aim for the attacker’s throat, ears and eyes.
Singh said to try and poke the attacker in the eyes — which he said would give victims at least 15 to 20 seconds to run — or to take the middle and pointer fingers and quickly jab them into the attacker’s throat. He also recommended cupping both hands and then clapping both the attacker’s ears at the same time to throw the perp off balance.
“That would actually make somebody back off. They’ll be more concerned about breathing and getting back their balance than attacking you. Their anger isn’t focused on you anymore, it’s focused on their survival,” he said.
But Singh said to avoid attacking the perp’s groin area, adding that it would do more harm than good — despite popular belief.
“It’s a very dangerous area. It actually gets guys really aggravated, and it makes them angrier,” he said. “It stimulates the body to produce more endorphins, which makes them stronger. You don’t want to go for the groin.”
Instead, Singh said to scream loudly to alert people nearby and to get energy levels up.
“Getting your heart rate up will increase your endorphins, and it will make you full of energy and make you feel stronger,” he said, adding that screaming will also make the attacker nervous and no longer feel in control.
If grabbed from behind and caught in a tight hold, Singh said to find the attacker’s pinky finger and pull it back as far as possible, causing the attacker to release his grip from the pain.
Singh also said keys could be used as valuable weapons if the fine points are grinded against the attacker’s knuckles or if used as a type of knife.
