For those who have never taken a self-defense course or a rape prevention seminar, there is an oddity that my husband and I have found when teaching women. They often don't know how to say, "NO!"

I am not speaking about the "no" a mother often tells her child or the "she says no but means yes" mentality, but a simple forceful "NO!" If some staggering, drunken fool with and inflated ego approaches a woman minding her own business sipping a drink in a bar and starts hitting on her, the woman who says no to such men is often considered a " bitch" right from the start. Being self-assured is often considered unfeminine while men on the other hand are considered strong. Meekness in a woman is called sweet-tempered while a man is called a wimp.

It is my belief that women are programmed from childhood that saying NO is an appalling thing for any female to do. We are taught never to say no to our parents, friends, employers, teachers or men.

We want to take it for granted children are safe at home, school and church. Unfortunately the statistics for child abuse show they are NOT safe in these places.

Seventy-five percent of child sexual abuse is committed by those known to the victim, usually a family member or friend.

Incidences such as the Columbine High School shooting or the Fenton, Pennsylvania Elementary attack where a 55 year-old man walked into a classroom with a machette and began attacking teachers and children, teaches us the schools aren't safe. More on these incidents can be found in Susan Maree Jeavons article Children In An Uncivilized Society.

Women aren't the only ones who need to be able to say "No!" All too often children are called to task or forced to hug or kiss "Uncle Cecil" or "Aunt Ophelia" when the child doesn't want to. What so many parents don’t realize that in taking away the child's right to say no, they are empowering all the wrong types of people. This forcing of unwanted touch gives power to abusers and teaches children to be victims.

Tenna Perry startles parents with the idea that they should Teach The Children To Say No.

Dan Boyden offers two easy to learn techniques that allowed the eleven year old in the photo who had never tried them before, to Escape A Wrist Grab

Do you believe you have no weapons if you don't own a firearm or pepper spray? Think again and read Know Your Weapons

Margaret Helmstetter has three different stories to tell that thankfully had a happy outcome. Under different circumstances things could have been disastrous.

It's 2 AM, your husband is away and you are home alone with the children when someone comes pounding on your door. Would you do this? The Wrong Door?

Looking around, I see something in the neighbor's bushes, she does not have a dog. It is too big to be a cat….How Not To Answer The Door

How many of us take these same types of unnecessary risks everyday? Parking Lot Crazy.

Tenna Perry touches on several self-defense subjects this month.

The first is a true story that happened to her eighty plus year old mother in Houston. An Intruder’s Deterrent

Her second story happened only this past month when her twelve-year-old daughter Vicki was almost kidnapped while waiting for the school bus. Keeping Your Children Safe

Do you know what constitutes The Only Wrong Move In Self-Defense?