This is one, hopefully, no one will have to observe. But January is (along with Quality of Life Month, Wealth Mentality Month, Be On-Purpose Month, and Get Organized Month) Self-Defense Awareness Month.

The event is sponsored by the National Self-Defense Institute to promote their SAFE (Self-Defense Awareness and Familiarization Exchange) program. The program has a two-fold purpose: To prevent crimes of sexual violence through programs of education and training, focusing primarily on awareness and prevention; and to educate women about realistic options that will help them avoid, escape, and survive assaults if they do occur.

The SAFE program isn’t presented anywhere in Cherokee County at this time, but according to Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office Administrative Assistant Lesa Daniels, the sheriff’s office does provide educational programs to any group that is interested.

“We’ll do a talk any time anyone requests us to come out,” said Daniels. “We send a couple of deputies out to talk about self-defense, or Neighborhood Watch programs, or anything else they want us to discuss.”

Tahlequah Police Chief Steve Farmer said though no local programs specifically address self-defense, he gets frequent requests from women for advice on purchasing firearms for that very purpose.

“For those who don’t own a gun, and have never used a gun, I always recommend they talk to someone about using a firearm before they actually purchase one,” said Farmer. “I tell them it’s a decision they have to make, but if they do have a firearm, and some incident does occur, there’s a firearm available – it may be available to them, or it may be available to their assailant.”

Farmer said law enforcement officers are taught during training that every time they respond to a call, there will be a firearm on the scene, because they’re bringing it with them. Those who are considering purchasing a firearm for self-defense should think along those same lines.

Farmer said that currently, there are no self-defense firearms training programs locally for people who do want to learn how to properly use a handgun, but discussions are under way to provide such a program in the future.

Scott Lawrence is a National Rife Association-certified pistol instructor and an International Defensive Pistol Association competitor. He used to teach a pistol training course in Tahlequah, but the class just didn’t have enough participants to continue.

Lawrence is also a black belt in Okinawan Karate, Kempo, Jeet Kune Do, Ju Ji Tsu, and Aiki Jitsu (that’s five black belts under his belt). Still, when it comes to self-defense – especially for women – he suggests a firearm, and the knowledge of how to use it, is the most effective weapon.

“A woman is at an obvious size and strength disadvantage, and for her to protect herself against a man – who may be carrying a weapon himself – would take years of practicing any martial art,” said Lawrence. “Someone who is strong and athletic can probably study any martial arts technique and make it effective, but if you don’t meet those criteria, you need to consider what the best equalizer is going to be.”

For a person who wants to learn martial arts for self-defense, Lawrence suggests choosing a style that emphasizes practical self-defense – Ju Ji Tsu and Jeet Kune Do, for example – instead of one that focuses on proper form.

Still, his advise for the most practical and effective self-defense: “Get a concealed carry permit, and know how to shoot your gun.”

James Calico teaches a concealed firearm class (which is mandatory training for a permit in Oklahoma) in Muskogee.

According to Calico, he usually has at least one woman in every class, and recently had an 80-year-old man and his wife in a class.

He agrees that, even before you take his class, you should know how to safely use your weapon.

“People who take the class can pick up a packet at their sheriff’s office, and they should read that a couple of times before coming to class. That’s for the written exam, and even if a person is a law enforcement officer and they want to carry a concealed weapon, they have to take the written exam,” said Calico. “But a concealed carry class is not the place to learn how to shoot a gun. That’s something they need to know before they take the class.”