OTB,

Yes, I'm aware of the manifesto but women are also killed/injured by other women.

Sometimes because they are 'the other woman'.

Suseonline, we could go on forever on these subjects disputing each other, being a volunteer Ambulance officer in the 1970's where all was done by the attendant & driver, not as of now where all are paid, the police being involved as well, there have been many times when a deceased body had to be picked up, being dead five or six days, watery, maggot and ant infested,smelling unbearably, it was part of the job, remember it was not a paid position at all,we looked after the sick and injured both day and night and I must reiterate not paid.
Men are working in nursing homes, hospitals and have to put up with those same things you mention that you have had to put up with. I have nevre seen a woman with a chain saw up a tree cutting limbs off, I am sure if they were they would be paid the same wage as the men, perhaps when I see Natasha Stott Despoyer up a tree instead of socialising with the rich I will change my mind on everything woman, we can all talk as to what is right and wrong in todays society but as mentioned earlier we are going to change nothing, men and women will still rape, I include women, as a woman recently was raping a young male student, men will kill women and women will kill men for all sorts of reasons, whatever you say and I say will make no difference at all, wars will come and go and always the other side was bad. but we have a halo around our heads, so we were right to kill, and so it will go on forever, long after we are dead and gone

rogindon/on the beach

You are confusing progress with winning. Women have made some progress in terms of equality - and much of that progress has been undermined by the anti-feminist backlash.

It's only those who seriously fear women's power, after having it suppressed for thousands of years, that believe women have 'won', some ludicrously insisting that women are now the dominant gender.

And on the beach, seriously, is it at all possible for you to cease all this 'get a life' rubbish? While it may leave you with a fleeting sense of self-righteousness, it's silly, childish and unhelpful.

Suse

Your last few answers have been brilliant. Well done.

Ojnab, you are right. We could go on and on.
I have known several women just in my small area who have also been involved in the local SES and have retrieved drowned individuals and people who have hung themselves in the bush.
I take my hat off to anyone who can do this job at all, male or female.

I have worked in hospitals and nursing homes for 30 years, and I know there are far fewer men doing the basic personal care jobs than women.
It is a disgrace that these people are paid such a pittance with this difficult job.

Is Mise

In answer to your question, yes, there are many things women can do to get themselves out of a dangerous situation if they are taught how. Unfortunately, society discourages women from learning and practising these techniques.

To give a couple of examples.

When a dangerous situation rears itself, it's a common tendency for both sexes (but particularly women) to wait and make sure that it actually IS dangerous. This loses vital seconds. I know that this option saved my life on one very dangerous occasion. Before I had done the women's self-defence course, I would have waited, because I didn't want to look foolish, or worse, unladylike. The WCD course taught me how dangerous such an attitude was.

By way of another example - one I've never had to use, thank God - is a simple technique to break out of a strangulation hold. Rather than reaching up to pull the attacker's hands away, you push your hands up between his arms in a sudden violent thrust. In the course, a male martial arts instructor took us through this technique and most of the women were able to break the strength of his hold, even though his strength was far greater than theirs. I notice that film and TV crime dramas still show actresses in scenes like these reaching up to pull the attacker's hands away - which is totally ineffectual.

I hope this answers your question.

Partially, Killarney, partially.
I have taught self defence classes for women and, to be frank, most women lack the strength to overcome a male attacker and all with whom I was involved (with a couple of notable exceptions) would not consider making their attacker completely helpless.
They would not countenance plunging their index fingers into the attackers eye sockets as that would blind him, which is the whole idea.

Blinded attackers are rather helpless.

Unarmed self defence is rather useless for frail people; so what could the frail and elderly have that might save them from serious injury or death?