THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Sunday, March 5, 1995                  TAG: 9503030019
SECTION: COMMENTARY               PAGE: J4   EDITION: FINAL 
TYPE: Letter 
                                             LENGTH: Short :   27 lines

THINK ABOUT SURVIVAL

Kudos for ``Survival on the streets'' (news, Feb. 26) profiling law-enforcement instructor Joseph Garcia's class for women on self-defense. He seems to offer a good balance of confrontation avoidance and common-sense actions after a confrontation occurs.

There is just one thing I believe was not stressed enough in the article: The most potent weapon a woman has at her disposal is between her ears. Think about the unthinkable. Read, educate yourself. Have a plan. Have several plans. And if worse comes to worst, don't berate yourself; you survived. Above all else, that's the most important thing.

Keep the articles coming. The more this shunned topic is discussed, the more women will be able to avoid and defeat a traumatic and frightening experience.

S. E. FOX

Virginia Beach, Feb. 28, 1995 by CNB