A disturbing trend seems to be developing as more and more attacks on women and seniors are taking place in the city. The reality of the world we live in today is that one in six women will be assaulted in their lifetimes. Every two minutes, somewhere in the U.S., a woman is assaulted. According to city crime statistics, rapes have increased by 30 percent since last year. As alarming as these statistics are, they are based on only 40 percent of the cases being reported. These statistics were reason enough for Evon Reyes, founder of Fearless Fighting Females, to bring free self-defense workshops to her community in tandem with state Senator Joseph P. Addabbo Jr. (D-Howard Beach), who represents her district in Albany.
With the recent cuts to senior centers and these attacks on the elderly making headlines, it made sense to them to start their efforts with local seniors. Addabbo’s office has reached out to several senior centers in his district to offer a series of self-defense classes led by Reyes. The response has been positive. Hour-long classes started July 14 at the Forest Park Senior Center, 89-02  91st Street, Woodhaven.  Classes will continue on August 2 at 11:15 a.m., at the Middle Village Senior Center, 69-10 75th Street, Middle Village, 718-894-3441.  More classes will be scheduled at various senior centers in Addabbo’s district this summer.  For more information, call Pete DeLucia in Senator Addabbo’s Howard Beach office for information at 718-738-1111.
 “I felt compelled to do something. I needed to help other women and girls,” Reyes says. “There are six basic things we can do as women to help reduce our chances of being attacked.  Every time I teach those basics in a class, I feel empowered by my women students and it fills me with so much joy. I definitely feel I receive so much more than what I give. I am excited to teach older adults how to fight off an attacker.”
Addabbo said, “Most of my district’s senior centers are predominantly attended by women. When I met Evon Reyes and she described her self-defense classes, which specialize in personal development and assertiveness training for women of diverse ages, I knew my seniors would welcome the idea.  Evon’s training methods have produced positive results in the lives of her students who don’t want to become tomorrow’s crime statistics. We’re hoping many men at the centers will also fearlessly join the classes.”