By James Turner – Feb. 1, 2007

A local mother and daughter want to show Winnipeg women that an enlightened defence against violent crime is the best offence. Peggy and Chantal McRitchie, are black belts in Choy Li Fut – a variant of kung fu emphasizing self-defense.

They are hosting a day-long self-defense workshop on Feb. 11 in hopes of giving women skills they need to not only fight off attackers but also to be aware of where danger lurks.

Coming to Canada from Holland more than 30 years ago, Peggy McRitchie was only 13 years old when she was first forced to fight for her life. Going outside to start her father’s car while he finished up teaching a martial arts class in downtown Winnipeg, McRitchie said she was jumped by a drunken man. “No sooner did I have the keys in the car than I was attacked,” said McRitchie. “I just remember him being quite large… it came from out of nowhere. My skills came in handy because I ended up saving my own life at that point.” “It was that innate feeling of ‘you or I,’” added McRitchie.

A number of years later, McRitchie said her skills were tested again when she was jumped and dragged behind a car by another male attacker while walking home at dusk. McRitchie successfully fought him off as well but the incident further cemented the idea in her mind that she should be teaching other women how to not only defend themselves, but how to be mindful of the potential for danger lurking around every corner.

For 22-year-old Chantal, the story is similar. Despite her young age, she’s already been attacked by men in public three times now.

She said many attacks go unmentioned by victims and one of the crucial problems in dealing with being victimized is how many women stay silent after they have been attacked. “I’ve had friends who have been attacked, and most of the time… they don’t like to talk about it,” she said. “We’re trying to get women to become more aware and to talk about these things.” Women tend to not want to talk because of guilt or out of fear others won’t believe them, said Peggy McRitchie.

Both say their skills saved them when they needed them but they recognize how lucky they are to have them. Each admits, however, there’s a larger issue at stake than simply learning how to punch, kick, and hurt back. Being aware and learning to avoid uncertain situations is the best defence.

Taught in graduated stages of awareness, boundaries and combat, the McRitchies ABC’s put an emphasis on non-violent resolution to incidents. “Above all is the awareness factor… awareness is the first thing,” said McRitchie.

In many cases, McRitchie said women often already have the capacity to deal with problem situations, but need to be brought into the light. “This is where we really try to teach some really good practical skills. Nobody’s saying they are going to be martial artists overnight… but what we find is that women have some really good, innate skills already, and maybe they aren’t aware of that,” she said.

Those interested in more information, or to register for the full-day workshop at the Victoria Inn, which includes lunch, refreshments and a certificate, can call 791-6146.

To witness Peggy and Chantal McRitchie and the ABC’s in action, visit www.ChoyLiFut.ca, and click on the ‘What’s New’ tab.

Source: http://www.canstarnews.com/page/story/the_metro/702&Date=1_2_2007