Submitted Photo/Clarendon Citizen - Lt. Sean Briley with the Clarendon County Sheriff’s Office taught a Women’s Self-Defense Class recently at Trinity United Methodist Church in Alcolu.
CCSO teaching women’s self-defense classes
The Clarendon County Sheriff’s Office is taking a proactive stance on women’s safety issues by offering safety and self-defense classes to the community.
In 2011, Clarendon County deputies received 23,943 service calls, which equated to 2.7 service calls per hour, 365 days of the year. Included in the 23,943 service calls were 199 assaults, 408 break-ins, 862 domestic calls, six sexual assaults, seven stabbings, 40 shootings or reports of shots fired, 130 fights and 11 kidnappings. There were also eight robberies, 738 larcenies and 471 suspicious persons.
“Our job is to protect the citizens of Clarendon County,” said Clarendon County Sheriff Randy Garrett. “We want to be proactive instead of reactive. By taking the time to educate women on how to protect themselves, we’re helping prevent them from becoming a statistic.”
More than 140 women attended the CCSO’s first Women’s Safety Seminar on Feb. 4 at Weldon Auditorium.
On June 18, Lt. Sean Briley with the CCSO taught a Women’s Self Defense Class at Trinity United Methodist Church in Alcolu for the women of the church.
Briley taught the women how to defend themselves against assailants who were armed as well as unarmed. He told them one of the biggest strategies women can use against an attacker is tears and don’t be afraid to scream. Don’t be timid. You want to gain the public’s attention.
“Fight back,” Briley told the women. “Do anything to get your attacker off guard.”
For more information on Women’s Self-Defense Classes, contact the CCSO at 435-4414.
