By Michelle Moskowitz
Sentinel Correspondent
Athena was the Greek goddess known for wisdom, courage, and inspiration. She was also known to have fought only for just reasons, and would not fight without a purpose.
This is the message that Sally Cadoux, founder of Athena Personal Safety Training, wants to convey to all girls and women in Greenwich and its surrounding communities. “Take charge, gain confidence and learn the tools to live courageously,” is her mission statement.
This past week, Cadoux held her first self-defense event specifically targeted to mothers and daughters, as many graduates prepare to head off to college by summer’s end.
This interactive workshop, held at the new Athleta boutique on Greenwich Avenue, featured simple yet effective techniques and safety awareness tips. Athleta, GAP’s new line of workout wear, has a parallel message inspiring girls to be strong.
“I have never felt more encouraged to launch my safety training business as a way to counteract our increasing sense of vulnerability due to all the violence in the world today,” said Cadoux.
Cadoux discussed the six personal weapons all women possess at the ready: their voice, head, elbows, hands/fingers, knees and feet.
“Every women needs to learn that with simple, powerful tactics, such as a head-butt or an elbow maneuver, you can most likely avoid harm if need be,” she said.
With more than 20 years of physical fitness expertise and certifications under her (black) belt, Cadoux is a RAD instructor—rape, aggression, depression—a martial artist, a yoga practitioner and a personal fitness coach.
Over the years of her training, Cadoux began to recognize the need for even physically fit women to learn how to defend themselves or develop what she calls “mental fitness.”
Cadoux’s mission is to provide integrated workshops at schools, universities, corporations, senior centers, and even hospitals, in particular to nurses who Cadoux says are also targets.
In addition, Cadoux and her marketing team are meeting with local non-profits, such as domestic abuse centers, in order to empower victims and provide them with the tools they need to feel safe and be safe.
Cadoux’s top safety tips include:
- Always look for the exits when you enter any building or place. Do not assume the way you entered will be the safest place to exit in the event of an emergency.
- If it doesn’t feel right, it isn’t right. Trust your intuition.
- Don’t walk with headphones turned up too loud. If you can’t hear your own footsteps, you can’t hear anyone else’s, either.
- Make eye contact. By making eye contact you are saying loud and clear, “I see you, I can identify you and I am in control.”
- Exude confidence. Walk tall and with purpose, and don’t walk while looking at your phone. How can you get out of harm’s way if you’re not paying attention?
Cadoux’s modern-day approach is redefining wellness and engaging women to make personal safety and social responsibility an integral part of their everyday lives.
For more information on private, group and corporate personal safety workshops, call (203) 984-1178 or email sally@athenapersonalsafety.com.
