If You Are Attacked In A Small Bathroom – Self Defense For Bathroom Attack
I recently read a very disturbing article about a young woman who was sexually assaulted in an airplane bathroom. She was attacked on a red-eye flight, by a drunk man who sat in her seat next to her on the plane. It’s hard to imagine how an attack could happen in such a cramped place, like an airplane bathroom, with many passengers nearby. But she did. We have to remember that sexual assaults are attacks of opportunity. He followed her into the bathroom, controlled her, intimidated her, and assaulted her.
When I started researching bathroom attacks, I realized that they were much more common than I could have imagined. Girls and boys in school bathrooms, women in shopping mall bathrooms, park bathrooms and hotel bathrooms.
It’s pretty shocking when an enraged person kicks in a door or sneaks up behind you into a bathroom stall, public restroom, or rest area to attack you. Let me be brutally clear with you. When someone attacks you in a bathroom, they are doing it there, due to the remote location that a bathroom provides.
The goal of an attacker is to hurt you, beat you, and control you. With control, and having dealt bodily damage, he can continue to sexually assault you and perhaps kill you.
The bathroom attacks I read about occurred in much the same way in each case. The first situation, it happened at least three or four times and in different areas. They were incidents involving several lone women who entered public restrooms and were violently confronted by a male attacker, hiding in the restroom.
My first lesson is conscience. A person who is texting or on the phone will be an easy target. Don’t stay glued to your phone. Keep an eye out for anyone lurking nearby who might follow you into the bathroom. Beware of doors and locks that appear to have been tampered with or damaged. It was probably done deliberately. Trust your gut, if something feels off, find another bathroom. Be alert when you are alone in a bathroom. When a man comes out of a bathroom, he can play dumb and pretend he thought he was in the men’s room.
If you are a woman, first action, do not listen to their excuses, run to the exit, while yelling that a man followed you into the bathroom. If he’s been hiding in there for a while, you probably know exactly how long he has before someone else comes in.
Second state. You are in a stall and someone kicks in the door. The first reaction will be pure fear until the adrenaline rises. The attacker will use this first moment of shock to punch you or punch you in the face and head. Blows and blows to the head can disorient the victim. He or she may punch you, hit you in the face with an object, or kick you in the face multiple times. Even though you have been hit, you must take action. Turn your head and tuck your head into one of your shoulders, and raise your arms about six inches in front of your head and face, clenching your fists to absorb the blows.
Get off and move on to the next stall if you can. If you are submerged, get up immediately. If you can, use the door as a weapon and slam it into the attackers face. Keep your fists and arms up to defend yourself. Push him towards the stable to escape on your own. Kick him in the knee and knee him in the muzzle. Believe it or not, women also feel pain if they get kicked or kneed in the pubic area.
If you can’t move to the next position, drive your forearms and fists into the attacker’s chin or chest as he stands up. Slam your forearms hard into the face, ribs, chest, and shoulder of basically anything you can reach. Direct kick to the knees of the attacker. When standing up, be prepared that the attacker will likely try to choke you to control and immobilize you, or continue to hit you. This strangulation can be a frontal or rear attack.
If the attacker is trying to shock you from behind, push your hips towards him to throw him off balance. Strong elbow to the ribs. Almost simultaneously, he steps to the right with his right foot, which will throw him off balance a bit. He brings your left leg over his right leg and plants your left foot and right leg behind his right leg. Turn your right foot towards him. You will now be facing the right side of him. He won’t be able to grab you by the neck while you’re next to him. With your left fist, punch into his back and towards his right ribs. Then push your right forearm and elbow towards him with all your might, and this movement will push him forward and away from you. Run to the door. If he catches you again. Kick your heel back into his knee. Keep kicking and screaming.
I’m going to describe the above exhaust from the left side as well for reference. Push your hips towards him, nudge him, step to the left and immediately put your right foot up, over and behind his left leg, turn your left foot towards him. Strike him with your right hand in the ribs and back, and then with your left forearm, strike him forward and away from you.
Another trick the attacker will use is to bang your head against a wall or against a hard surface like the sink, toilet, or hand dryer. Put your hands and forearms in front of your face, so if it hits you, your arms will absorb the impact and not your face. Tuck your chin into one of his shoulders. Kick your heel towards his knees. Keep kicking back, try to step on his foot. When the attacker loosens his grip, even slightly, turn his body towards him with your elbow and forearm out. This gives you several defense options. Rotate elbow toward ribs, sternum, head, then follow with other fist toward head, ribs, throat, or sternum.
Ultimate strangulation scenario from the front. He will most likely be in front of you and will use both hands to press or squeeze your neck. A great effective move to pull off no matter your height, is to cross your outstretched arms, grabbing the hand that is farthest from your hand that you just moved.
For example, with your right hand, reach over and grab the little finger of your right hand and pull it up toward the ceiling. With your right hand, maintain control of your right hand, press down with your forearm against their wrists to cause pressure, continue to curl your little finger toward the ceiling. As soon as it starts to loosen up, take a step to the right. You will continue to press your palm against his hand, he will slowly rotate his little finger up and pull his right hand towards you and down to the right. Continue to curl your little finger up. With your other hand, press your palm into your elbow and move your left foot so it’s parallel with your right foot. His feet are spread about shoulder width apart.
If you grabbed his right hand with your right, you step to the right and pull him to that side, pressing your left palm against his right elbow. Guess what, if she doesn’t want his elbow to break, she’ll move with you. When he staggers off balance, while holding his arm, knee him in the face. This is easier with the right knee. If you reached out with your left hand, you’ll grab his left little finger and pull him toward the ceiling. Press your forearm into their wrists and step to the left. Check your left with your left and press your right palm against your elbow. Adjust the position of your feet so they are parallel, which puts you in a better position to knee him to the face and head with your left knee.
A toilet attacker is there to hurt you and get you! It’s not going to be pretty, this is not a staged movie scene. Everything hurts and you will be exhausted, terrified and unable to breathe. But remember this, he or she doesn’t know that you are about to go into battle. An attacker will be clueless and surprised that you have learned some good fighting techniques, and he can take an offensive to break free. If you drop your purse, bag, or jacket during this hectic time, don’t go back for it. You must go to a safe place. Keep your focus and aim and you will do it.
