Defensive skills

Tamara Landry is taking the self-defence skills she learned home to her teenage daughters.

With her 13- and 15-year-old daughters in mind, Landry attended the first of several free self-defence courses taught by the Thunder Bay Police Service and hosted by the Métis Nation of Ontario Tuesday afternoon.

“Women are targets and there is a lot of violence and I know there is something we can do,” Landry said at the Balmoral Street police station.

“Women are powerful. When we have the right resources we can protect ourselves and we were shown really good, useful, practical moves,” she added.

Pearl Tallon attended the session so she could keep up with her brothers, who are often wrestling with each other and their friends. But the teenager also picked up some valuable tips.

“I learned so much today. I feel much more protected,” she said, adding that women can be seen as easy targets.

“If we learn some things, we can catch them off-guard more often and it’s better to protect ourselves,” Tallon said.

The Métis Nation of Ontario’s Laurie Vaudrin started organizing the sessions with the police after hearing growing concerns about the safety of women in the community.

She felt Tuesday’s session was well received and the training was excellent.

“I believe it has provided (the women) with the confidence that if they were ever in a situation where they would have to defend themselves, they have the skills necessary in order to prevent any injury or disengage from the situation,” Vaudrin said.

More self-defence sessions are scheduled for March 7, 19 and 21. Anyone interested in participating can contact Vaudrin at the Métis Nation of Ontario office