The New York City Police Department’s Crime Prevention Division hosted a self-defense demonstration for seniors at the Flushing Senior Center on May 30. The officers explained in both Chinese and English how to respond and protect oneself when grabbed, attacked, or choked, aiming to enhance the elderly’s self-protection skills.
Detective Costa and Officer Kim demonstrated various ways to handle dangerous situations. Costa advised that when someone follows or attacks you, you should loudly alert people around you about the suspicious behavior, saying, “Stop, I don’t know you!” It is essential to maintain a stable stance with legs in a firm horse-riding position to avoid falling or being dragged.
The officers showcased some simple and easy-to-learn self-defense techniques: if someone grabs or attacks you, after breaking free, you should not immediately turn and run but instead secure your stance. Raise your hands to protect your head and tell the aggressor, “Stop, I don’t know you!”
In a scenario where someone is choking you, you have only 5-10 seconds to react. To protect your neck, shrug your shoulders – lower your chin, raise your shoulders, making it difficult for the attacker to apply pressure on your neck. Then push the attacker’s hand down to break free, or tilt your head under their arms and escape. Step back, raise your hands to shield your face.
Furthermore, the officers recommended that when taking a taxi, it’s safer to sit in the seat directly behind the driver.
Recently, a 75-year-old Chinese gentleman at the Flushing Senior Center fell victim to a phone scam. The scammer claimed he had violated regulations and needed to buy gift cards to pay a fine. The elderly purchased $20,000 worth of gift cards before realizing he had been deceived.