Essay Sample: Importance of Self-defense

What comes to mind when you hear the term "self defense"? Did you think of martial arts? What about kicking and punching? Perhaps you can remember a particular action scene in a movie that you thought was particularly impressive? However you feel about it, I believe that self-defense is an essential skill that every person should know how to perform. For a variety of reasons, having a basic understanding of self-defense is essential.

Boost Self Esteem: The phrase "Knowledge is Power" is extremely true in self-defense situations. Without it, we develop a fear of the unknown and lack confidence in ourselves. But the formula for building one’s self-esteem is simple. The more you expose yourself to a situation, the more confident you become. When you take a self-defense class, you expose yourself to a variety of situations and, therefore, build experience and the understanding "that you are strong enough to handle the situation." (Adhikari, 2021). Just knowing that is not only confidence boosting, but also self-empowering.

Situational awareness: Situational awareness entails more than simply being aware of one's surroundings. This is about being able to accurately identify potential harmful or even dangerous situations. It involves learning how to scan rooms effectively, making it a habit to remember where exits and entrances are even if you cannot see them, and knowing what is and is not unusual behavior for the environment you are in. These are just a few things you learn when you attend a self-defense class. Please note that the point of situational awareness is not to make you paranoid. "Deployed correctly, situational awareness is a tool for peace of mind, allowing you to relax while still being prepared to respond to any circumstances that may arise." (Holt, 2021).

Having it and not needing it is better than needing it but not having it: Try imagining self-defense like CPR. It's safe to say that almost everyone in this room is familiar with CPR. Even if you have taken a class, I am almost certain that you have not had the opportunity to use it. But I think we can all agree that it’s a good skill to have. This isn't just because it looks good on a resume or because your school or workplace considers it necessary, but because of the "what if" factor. What if someone goes into cardiac arrest while I am around? What if someone's heart stops beating? How will I react? That is exactly what self-defense is. It’s that "what if" factor. What if I am attacked on my way to or from campus? How would I respond if I was attacked while with friends? What if I’m attacked when I’m with my family? What if? Attacks don’t happen very often, but they do happen. And I don’t know about you, but I would rather be prepared for a situation that is never going to happen than be unprepared and face the consequences.

Self-defense classes are extremely worthwhile in the end. It helps you "increase your options and helps you prepare responses to avoid, slow down, de-escalate, or interrupt an attack." (Self Defense Information, n.d.) If you have ever thought about whether or not learning self-defense is worth your time or money, "then there is a conscious or subconscious reason why you feel the need to equip yourself." (What Do You Learn in Self-Defense Classes? Effective & Worth It?, n.d.) Regardless of what that reason is, everyone has the basic human right to protect themselves from being hurt or harmed. So it is important for all of us to have, at the very least, the basic knowledge of self-defense.