Empowering girls/women to prevent attacks

The assault-prevention group regularly visits local schools, such as Riverdale and Lindsay Place, and has an upcoming workshop open to the public being organized by physical fitness promoter Janice Burdon in St. Lazare.

Danylewich, a Dollard des Ormeaux resident, has been offering these training courses for over a decade now, across his home province as well as in Ontario and the United States. He has a staff of seven to help him run the courses.

For teens, Danylewich said he stresses the importance of being aware of potential predators and determining if they are in an abusive relationship.

"We try to give them tools to know what a healthy relationship is," he said. "Does their boyfriend check up on them or he won't let them be alone with their friends. These are all red flags."

Aside from prevention skills, White Tiger also goes through the basics of self-defence to make sure they don't "freeze" when confronted, at say, a bus stop late at night, Danylewich said. "Yelling for help is not empowering," he said. "We teach them to take charge of their safety. We demonstrate 'testing' patterns of a predator. We also teach them assertion, to take a defensive stance, to put their hands out and say leave me alone in order to set the limits."

The courses conclude with simulated attack scenarios, the most popular part for participants.

Danylewich said females aged 16 to 24 are in the high risk group of being attacked. "They're the most likely to become victims. So there is a need to (teach) them before, when they're 14 or 15 or even younger."

A physical education teacher at Lindsay Place High School in Pointe Claire said the White Tiger course really boosts the self-esteem of the Grade 9 students who take it each year.

"For many of these girls, who are 14 or 15, this is the highlight of the year for them in the program," said Margot Alnwick.

"The most interesting thing for the girls is the fighting at the end when they battle the 'padded' man," she added. "It gives them a chance to see how they can handle a pressure situation. It's an empowerment for them to know they can survive an attack."

Meanwhile, the deadline to register for the Nov. 10 course being held at the St. Lazare community centre is Nov. 8. The cost is $85 for adults and $75 for students. The course runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information on registering, call Burdon at 450-458-2531.

Danylewich said the White Tiger Group is also organizing the Montreal Girl's Conference on Dec. 6, the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence against Women in Canada, which marks the death of 14 women who were killed by a gunman in 1989 at l'École Polytechnique.

For more information on the White Tiger Group, check www.fearlesstiger.com.