Taela Davis faced an assault by a stranger near her home in Melbourne, Australia, in broad daylight.
The assailant’s forceful blow knocked her to the ground, where he attempted to remove her shirt.
Little did the attacker know that Taela, a 25-year-old with 15 years of karate experience and a black belt, was not an easy target.
Reflecting on the incident that occurred in May 2015, Taela expressed how crucial self-defense skills proved to be in such a threatening situation.
While pinned down by the attacker, Taela summoned her karate training and determination to fight for her survival.
¨I didn’t want to be another statistic of violence against women while out and decided to fight back,¨ she recounted to Daily Mail Australia.
Taela’s swift action included a well-placed kick that caused the attacker to loosen his grip, leading her to escalate her defense.
¨I punched him, giving him a bloody nose, but that wasn’t enough. With both my arms restrained, I resorted to head-butting him, which was excruciating,¨ she described. ¨Then I created distance and landed a knee strike to his ribs.¨
A passerby intervened upon witnessing the struggle, prompting the attacker to flee in fear.
Despite sustaining injuries like two broken ribs, a concussion, and numerous bruises, Taela credits her karate skills for preventing a more tragic outcome.
Describing the assailant as a tall man in his thirties who attacked her from behind while she was distracted by music, Taela emphasizes the importance of being prepared.
She later shared her harrowing experience on Facebook, advocating for martial arts training as a means of self-protection.
Taela, your bravery is truly inspiring! Let’s hope this incident serves as a lesson for the attacker and others, promoting safety and self-defense awareness for all!
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