American specialist trains city girls in self-defense

Meerut: In the backdrop of the increasing crime against women in UP, Ismail Degree College, started training its female students in the art of self-defense. The initiative, which started on Monday, was taken up by an American specialist, in collaboration with Aseem Naari Shakti, an NGO.
American Mellisa Soalt, who has pioneered the art of women’s self-defense said the main motive, said that the main motive was to teach practical and simple techniques that girls can use on the streets.
“These techniques are easy to learn and apply and the girls in the college have shown great interest in the art,” said Soalt.
The entire drive is a plan under National Service Scheme (NSS), which was launched on Gandhiji’s birth centenary 1969, in 37 universities involving at least 40,000 students, focusing on the development of personality of students through community service.
Mamta Singh, who organised the event in the college, said, “At least 100 girls from the college were trained in the art of self-defense in two separate groups.”
Meerut, the sixth largest urban agglomeration in UP with a population of 14.2 lakh (according to Census 2011), has taken a lead among the cities infamous for rapes in western UP. With 62 rape cases registered in 2013, an almost three-fold jump from 22 in 2012, the city has recorded the highest number of rape cases in the region, according to NCRB.
Taking the increasing crime against women into perspective, the self defence training drive left an etching impact on the students.
Himani Sharma (name changed), a student, said, “It is difficult to deal with the eve-teasers in the city . But after a four-hour session of training, I feel confident enough to deal with them now.”