Self- Defense Class In Midville

To help women learn how to protect themselves from potential attackers, State Sen. Joseph Addabbo is sponsoring a series of free self-defense workshops throughout the district, it was announced.

As noted, an hour-long session will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 2, at 11:15 a.m. at the Middle Village Adult Center, located at 69-10 75th St. More classes will be scheduled at various senior centers in Addabbo’s district this summer.

Citing crime statistics in New York City, Addabbo noted that rapes have increased by 30 percent year-todate; that number, it was noted, is based on only 40 percent of the cases being reported. Every two minutes, somewhere in the U.S. a woman is assaulted, and one in six women will be attacked at some point in their lives.

Addabbo teamed up with Evon Reyes, founder of Fearless Fighting Females, to hold the self-defense classes. The first took place on July 14 at the Forest Park Senior Center in Woodhaven, and the response was positive, the senator noted.

“I felt compelled to do something. I needed to help other women and girls,” Reyes said. “There are six basic things we can do as women to help reduce our chances of being attacked. Every time I teach those basics in a class, I feel empowered by my women students and it fills me with so much joy. I definitely feel I receive so much more than what I give. I am excited to teach older adults how to fight off an attacker.”

“Most of my district’s senior centers are predominantly attended by women. When I met Evon Reyes and she described her self-defense classes, which specialize in personal development and assertiveness training for women of diverse ages, I knew my seniors would welcome the idea,” Addabbo said. “Evon’s training methods have produced positive results in the lives of her students who don’t want to become tomorrow’s crime statistics. We’re hoping many men at the centers will also fearlessly join the classes.”

Fearless Fighting Females was founded in 2010 focused on two goals: to empower a woman by reminding her of what a powerful and spectacular creature she is; and to reaffirm to women that no obstacle or challenge can stop them from dreaming or making dreams come true.

According to Reyes, “Fearless Fighting Females is for all of us who fight to overcome our deepest fears so that we may conquer the challenges of tomorrow. I also hope that through my message and my donation to Autism Speaks, we can help raise awareness of the ‘epidemic’ of autism spectrum disorders and help to find a cure.”

Reyes has volunteered her time to local organizations and within her community by offering free one-hour self-defense workshops with WET Production Risk Takers Program, Girl Scouts of America, and the York College Women’s Center.

For more information on the Middle Village self-defense class, call 1- 718-894-3441. For information on future classes, call Pete DeLucia in Addabbo’s Howard Beach office at 1-718-738-1111.