Strangers with bad intentions will often approach children and pretend to be friendly. They will chat with children and persuade them to come with them and often put an arm around the shoulders. This gives them extra leveraging in grabbing a child who may protest. Here is how to handle situation like this.

1. An adult has placed his arm around a child’s shoulders as shown in picture 1. This adult is attempting to take the child somewhere. When the adult’s hand is around the child’s shoulder, the best way to escape from the adult’s grasp is by making the adult lose his balance.

2. First watch how the adult’s legs are moving. Counting each step is an easy way to guess the adult’s walking speed, as shown in picture 2.

3. While you are counting the steps in your head, use your whole leg and foot to push the opponent’s leg nearest to you right before that leg steps onto the ground as shown in picture 3.

4. The opponent will lose his balance since he wouldn’t expect to miss a step. You can take advantage of the opponent stumbling or even falling. This is just like the prank of taking away a chair from beneath someone who is about to sit on it. Run away from the scene once the opponent loses balance.

This self-defense technique needs accurate timing and may be difficult for young children to perform but is great for children above 10 years of age, teenagers and women. Much practice is needed for the success of this technique. 

By Seo Gyo-sun (selfdefense777@gmail.com)

Seo Gyo-sun, an internationally certified Taekwondo Grand Master, judge and coach, holds a B.A. in taekwondo from Kyung Hee University. ― Ed.