Opinion | Survival guide for women: how to fight off rape attempts

A woman is raped or sexually assaulted in Hong Kong every three hours, according to figures from the city's centre for sex abuse victims. 

Many think Hong Kong is a safe place, but this sense of security leaves us poorly prepared for unexpected danger. A week ago, a 14-year-old girl was abducted, robbed and molested in Tai Po as she walked in the street during the early evening. According to police officers, the victim went with the man without protesting because she was "very scared". 

Ninety-one cases of rape were reported to the city's police in 2011, down slightly from 112 cases in 2010. RainLily, Hong Kong's centre for sex abuse victims, says the true figure is much higher, with a woman raped or sexually assaulted in Hong Kong every three hours - but most cases are not reported. These figures are based on calls to their rape crisis centre hotline. 

To arm readers against possible assaults, the  invited Zorica King, the Hong Kong director of Krav Maga, a self-defence system designed to protect against street attacks, muggings and sexual assaults, to use real-life scenarios to demonstrate how women can employ simple techniques to ward off would-be attackers (see videos below).

"Don't think you're weaker just because you're smaller. Attack the guy's soft spots - his eyes, nose, mouth, thyroid, groin and joints. And remember - your body is your weapon," says the self-defence instructor.