AIKEN --- Everyone has the right to personal safety.

That's what Andy Watford, the owner of Watford's School of Karate in Aiken, believes.

It's why he's been involved in martial arts for more than 40 years, and it's why twice a year he teaches a free, weeklong women's self-defense seminar.

"If women have an idea of how to hold themselves, carry their confidence and know what to do in a bad situation, it can make a difference," he said.

According to the State Law Enforcement Division and the Violence Policy Center, South Carolina ranks among the top 10 states in the number of women killed by men, and, in 2006, 28 percent of all slayings in the Palmetto State were related to domestic violence.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, 68 percent of women know their assailant.

"A lot of times it's a domestic situation where things can happen, and you need to know what to do," Mr. Watford said. "It doesn't matter if it's your husband of 20 years or a stranger."

The martial arts instructor said there are situations where you can't reason with the person and nobody is around to help.

Attracting attention and creating a disturbance, such as screaming, can sometimes cause the attacker to flee.

A 56-year-old woman did just that Wednesday night when she was attacked by an unknown man in her Augusta home. The assailant tackled the woman, held her down on the floor and told her to get undressed.

The woman fought her attacker and screamed for help. The man took off.

Lt. Scott Peebles, of the Richmond County Sheriff's Office, said that in this incident the woman did everything right.

"Generally, we have seen, especially lately, that women who fight back seem to come out with less trauma," he said. "But that doesn't mean that's going to work in every case because in some cases if you fight, depending on the attacker, it could cause you to be seriously injured."

Lt. Peebles cautions that every situation is different, and each woman has to know her own limits and be able to judge the situation.

"The priority is to survive the incident whether that survival comes through compliance with the suspect or if it comes through fighting, whatever it takes to survive that incident is the most important thing," he said.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, 78.5 percent of victims who used self-protective measures either avoided injury, avoided serious injury, scared off the offender or were able to escape.

Fighting back doesn't mean trading punches with the assailant. It means inflicting enough damage so the attacker is caught off guard. The goal for the woman is to free herself and run.

Mr. Watford said some of the challenges in teaching self-defense come in breaking through women's own preconceived notions that they can't defend themselves or they can't strike someone.

But through motivation and a little patience, Mr. Watford said the women begin to realize that they do have the power.

"The next thing you know, they're punching Blue Maxx and hitting him pretty hard," he said, referring to the safety training body armor instructors use. "Once I get them thinking that way, it's empowering to them."

Mr. Watford teaches his students vital striking points on the body, such as the eyes, nose or throat, because hitting a man in the chest or head isn't going to hurt him.

He also teaches them how to pay attention to their surroundings and how to use their keys as a weapon.

Reach Michelle Guffey at (803) 648-1395, ext. 110, or michelle.guffey@augustachronicle.com.