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Post by Deleted on Apr 23, 2009 14:35:25 GMT
A Gold Coast nurse with a black belt in martial arts turned the tables on her assailant, breaking his arm when he tried to steal her car. Nurse Beth Gascoine, 28, has been praised by police after fending off the violent knife attack in an empty Mermaid Beach car park on Wednesday. The mother of two, who works metres away at a local medical clinic, was getting something out of her car, when she was approached by a tall stranger. "I noticed him, but I didn't pay any attention to him and he just walked over and said 'Give me your keys'," she told AAP. "And I just went 'Yeah, right', which looking back, was probably the wrong reaction and he got out the knife and came at me. "It was purely instinctive... I blocked it with my right arm, grabbed his other arm with my left, then grabbed his right again and quite possibly broke it. "I'm pretty sure I hurt him and he dropped straight to the ground." Making good her escape, Ms Gascoine ran back to the clinic and called police. The man was gone by the time they arrived. Sporting six stitches on a gash to her wrist, she said things could have turned out differently if she had not been able to defend herself. Ms Gascoine was a black belt in the martial art of Zen Do Kai about 10 years ago. "It could have been a lot worse, (but) I don't feel like the victim," she said, while urging all women to undergo some form of self-defence training. "I'm quite happy with the way I reacted... (the fear) came a bit later." Back at work a day later, Ms Gascoine holds out hope the offender will be caught - especially if he seeks treatment for his injured arm. He's described as being in his 20s, with a slim build, brown hair and eyes and was wearing a dark green t-shirt and jeans. Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. news.ninemsn.com.au/national/805256/black-belt-nurse-turns-tables-on-attack
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Post by Deleted on Apr 23, 2009 14:41:50 GMT
Great story and credit to Beth for kicking ass
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Post by Deleted on Apr 23, 2009 15:47:55 GMT
I am sorry that she even had to resort to her training- but this is the world we live in. Much respect to Nurse Gascoine; she handled herself well.
There are those who would argue that she COULD have gotten hurt really bad, or shot, or what have you but before you go there, remember this: it didn't happen that way.
She got a gash on her wrist and a return on her investment for training in the martial arts; I'd say she came out on top and for the wiser too. She'll think twice before responding flippantly to such requests, and she'll be more aware of her surroundings as well, now that she's gone through this.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 23, 2009 16:04:53 GMT
Yeah, right. Police don't usually encourage this type of action by victims. The standard response by police is to give them what they want, get a good discription of them in your mind, and report it to the police. It's not like the guy was going to rape her in a dark alley. This was a public parking lot during the day. He didn't threaten her, just asked for her keys. How did she know he wasn't going to pull out a gun instead of a knife? Pretty foolish action to defend your car! Just IMHO.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 23, 2009 16:19:08 GMT
^she didnt get stabbed, so I doubt she would have got shot and the guy would still have a broken arm
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Post by Deleted on Apr 23, 2009 16:38:08 GMT
Yeah, right. Police don't usually encourage this type of action by victims. The standard response by police is to give them what they want, get a good discription of them in your mind, and report it to the police. It's not like the guy was going to rape her in a dark alley. This was a public parking lot during the day. He didn't threaten her, just asked for her keys. How did she know he wasn't going to pull out a gun instead of a knife? Pretty foolish action to defend your car! Just IMHO. Feel free to give up what's yours w/out a fight if you want; she chose not to. If you have the wherewithal to defend what's yours, then do so- it is your choice. He threatened her with a knife, with which she sustained a gash to the wrist- how do you know she wouldn't have gotten raped? How about he could've taken her keys, tossed her in the trunk and taken her somewhere else? Also, how did you figure out what time of day it was based off the OP? Here's the actual link to that story: tvnz.co.nz/world-news/black-belt-nurse-breaks-arm-car-thief-2671744
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Post by randomnobody on Apr 23, 2009 16:38:28 GMT
I'd like to think I'd have done the same. Good for her. Though lucky he did only have a knife... And what the devil is Zen Do Kai?
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Post by Deleted on Apr 23, 2009 17:44:09 GMT
This is exactly why I think a world law should be made, stating everyone should learn at least the basics of self defense. Lucky she got out with 6 stitches.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 23, 2009 17:46:49 GMT
It took place in an undercover car park, who's to say he wouldn't have thrown her in the back seat & raped her at knife point? If you click on my link at the bottom of the original post you can see the video interview. She looks tiny & said it all happened so fast, I'm only surprised that she didn't kick him in the head while he was down.
Anyway who ever messes with a mother of two really doesn't know woman all that well, they'll kick your butt & sent you to your room to think about it.
This took place in Australia so guns are seldom used except in hold up which is on the increase due to the economy i guess.
All i can say she was lucky & good on her, if he had a knife to her throat then she would have been ill advised not to comply till a safe opportunity presented itself.
He wasn't carrying the knife to stab the car, so i think he was intent on causing harm given a chance so she was protecting more than just her property.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 23, 2009 18:16:45 GMT
I think it's good for her that she was able to act so quickly. It's a scary situation to be in that's for sure. I agree that she was protecting more than just her car because it seems that the attacker was very quick to use the knife instead of just waving it around as a threat. On a side note. That sketch of the guy shown on the video page makes him look like a creep. I'd be cautious around someone like that to begin with. Lol
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Post by Tom K. (ianflaer) on Apr 23, 2009 18:45:46 GMT
in a situation like this it is almost impossible to say what the right or best possible action was. a judgment call is required. she made her choice and followed through without hesitation. she did well for herself.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 23, 2009 18:58:25 GMT
Ive done some work helping to train people who are going into the security/police field, and one of the interesting statistics that i learned is that anytime that a woman is approached in a threatening manner (regardless of the situation) her chances of survival go up 400% if she shouts and fights back.
So statistically she did the right thing. And even if it was a gun, she couldn't have known that.
She did good.
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Post by sparky on Apr 23, 2009 19:40:04 GMT
Good for her! Maybe she'll join SBG and I could +1 her ;D To bad a police officer wasn't right there to prevent this crime
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Post by Deleted on Apr 23, 2009 19:49:37 GMT
Good for her! Maybe she'll join SBG and I could +1 her ;D To bad a police officer wasn't right there to prevent this crime It would've happened too fast- the policeman will suspect only after the attacker would get very close to the woman. At that distance he won't be able to get there before the attacker gets the knife out. That's what I think, anyway.
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Post by sparky on Apr 23, 2009 20:04:20 GMT
Good for her! Maybe she'll join SBG and I could +1 her ;D To bad a police officer wasn't right there to prevent this crime It would've happened too fast- the policeman will suspect only after the attacker would get very close to the woman. At that distance he won't be able to get there before the attacker gets the knife out. That's what I think, anyway. Sorry, that was definatelly meant as a sarcastic joke. I'm a big believer in the individual being responsible for their own protection. Because the "bad guy" is generally not going to steel her car in front of the cops, it's just bad for business.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 23, 2009 22:28:20 GMT
I'd like to add a note being a person living close to the Gold Coast (Brisbane).
1) Here in Australia (particularly queensland) because our cops havent got much to do but sit with speed cameras when stuff like this happens ...... they ..... are ...... relentless ...... take it from me had many dealings with cops (small business, scummy suburb) and my best mate now is one that they wont brush it off (like maybe in other more populated resource stretched international departments) and they will spend alot of time finding the guy ......... Lots of people know this ....... including crooks ......... so crooks here have got to be pretty commited/desperate to go for it ....... and heaps of people will probably call crime stoppers if they spot him ....... narrowing the police area of search......
2) Thugs bank on that you'll either be submissive because a) Your a wussy woman/sissy man, b) The law promotes to save your skin just do whatever they say ......... like Ebon said that was a good move until your in the trunk, raped and gutted in a far off paddock (or at Gold Coast dumped off shore) ....... so I commend her for fighting back, her bonus was she was trained, gave her an edge ....... more then drug thug had obviously if he went down that easy .......... I think it should be a wake up to alot of people (particularly DAMN AUSSIES) that ..... WHY BE THE VICTIM ......... WHY .......... sometimes saving your skin requires you to actually do something to save it .........
sorry if that was a bit much .........
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Post by sparky on Apr 23, 2009 23:00:41 GMT
brissybeater............. +1 to you!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2009 0:33:56 GMT
Thugs bank on that you'll either be submissive because a) Your a wussy woman/sissy man, b) The law promotes to save your skin just do whatever they say You know, there's a good reason the police will tell you your wallet/car isn't worth it - it's because it isn't. An attitude of 'if you don't take on a guy with a knife, you're a 'wussy woman/sissy man'' is a really good way to get yourself killed. When you take the range factor out of the equation, you're more likely to die from a knife attack than a gun. I'd be willing to bet that the 'perfect storm' of factors came into play here. i.e. The defender was highly trained and the attacker both knew nothing about using a knife and (and this is the crucial part) was not actually intending on killing or seriously injuring the defender. Frankly, the last is the most important factor. Most people, criminals included, intend to intimidate, lightly wound with the intent of intimidating, or simply have not fully overcome their inbuilt psychological blocks against killing and therefore will not attack with full intent. Unarmed against someone who knows more than nothing about the types of attacks that are effective with a knife, you need to be a combination of really good and lucky. Yes, constant drilling in knife defence can help, but at the end of the day in a freeform situation there's too much that can go wrong. I've seen (and experienced from both sides) it proven time and time again in training. There's a reason that even really hard cases take knives very, very seriously.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2009 3:25:31 GMT
It took place during the day because afterward she went back to her office to call the police. I assume most offices are closed at night. Yes, screaming would have been a good response. Tossing the keys at him while running away at the same time. This whole idea that "it turned out OK so good for her" is rediculous! As I said, if she was defending her life and had/saw no other option then fine. That wasn't the case here. I wish sarah was still with us so she could give us her perspective!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2009 4:54:39 GMT
If my wife or daughters were in a like situation there's no way I'd want them to just comply with someone because that someone had a knife. People who don't fight back in these types of situations often have larger emotional hurdels to overcome that those who do resist. Studies have shown that women who have fought their attacker are, statistically, not harmed more than those who do. Choosing not to resist is different to just allowing the assailant to control you. There's no way I can understand anyone giving a stranger their keys simply because they were asked for. So I think she was right there. The situation obviously esculated very rapidly becasue he was within arm reach with a knife without further discussion. Throwing her keys and screaming at this point would not have defended her from the bloke with the knife. Anyway, I'm glad she's safe. She did well. It might've been worse if the bloke was trying to kill her but "fortune favours the brave" and "you make your own luck" as they say.
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