Violence weighs heavily on the minds of women in the United States. According to a Gallup report, more than one in three U.S. women fear being sexually assaulted.

Unfortunately, many women enroll in self-defense training only after they have been assaulted. While it is understandable why they would want to protect themselves after they have been attacked, the time to learn self-defense tactics is before an attack takes place.

If you are a woman wondering how to protect herself from would-be attackers, consider enrolling in a Kung Fu self-defense class. Using Kung Fu for self-defense isn’t just about learning to fight off an attacker, its ultimate goal is to prevent getting attacked in the first place.

Here are some other tips to keep in mind to prevent assaults:

• Know your surroundings. The best way to prevent becoming a victim of a crime is to avoid places where you are likely to find yourself in danger. Don’t walk alone at night, for example.
• Radiate confidence. Most would-be attackers look to attack those they view as weak or vulnerable. Walk with your head up and shoulders back and give the impression that you are familiar with your surroundings (even when you are not) and you will be less likely to be seen as an easy mark.
• Employ the element of surprise. When an attacker gets the impression that you are not going to fight back, that attacker will let his or her guard down. This allows you to employ the element of surprise and strike the first blow.
• Keep it simple. When employing Kung Fu movements, for example, learn the basic techniques and learn them well. Don’t try to perform complicated moves but rather depend on things like basic kicks or hand strikes to defend yourself.
• Anticipate getting knocked down. It may be difficult to recover if you are knocked down but that doesn’t mean you are beaten. It is important to remember that when targeting women, most attackers will knock women down. Learning how to fight back from that position is essential to fend off your attacker.
• It’s not over until it’s over. Never pause during a fight. You must continue to fight your intruder off until you have won the fight and are able to escape. If you pause at any time before that you are simply giving your attacker an opportunity to regroup and gain the upper hand.