Woman severs tongue of would-be rapist.
A Swedish man is suspected of trying to rape a 21-year-old woman in an apartment in Malmo (Sweden) is left nursing a partially severed tongue as his would-be victim fought back.
According to reports, the woman was at home in her apartment in the early hours of Sunday morning when the doorbell rang. She opened the door to find the assailant who forced his way into her home.
He, reportedly, stated he wanted to be her friend, and then forced himself on her, grabbing her neck.
Things changed when he tried to kiss her and she bit his tongue, severing the tip.
He started to bleed profusely and gave up the attack. According to the woman, he was furious, kicked her and stormed out.
The woman then passed out from shock, calling for help after waking up.
You can read the full story here
Commentary on Her Self Defense
Caveat: It’s always difficult to assess a situation without; 1) having been there, 2) speaking directly to the woman attacked, or 3) reading the detailed police report.
In other words, without understanding the context, we can not say what she should have or have not done differently.
What we have to go on is the information contained in the newspaper article.
And so my comments are only focused on the details shared so we can learn from the situation – and not criticize the woman.
What she did well
She defended herself admirably. In the midst of an attack, she saw an opportunity and took advantage of the situation.
The perpetrator stuck his tongue in her mouth. Keeping her senses, she saw a vulnerability and seized on it, biting the tip off and severing his tongue – ending the attack.
But what if he hadn’t stuck his tongue in her mouth? Was there other opportunity to seize upon?
She may have been able to;
- kick him in the groin
- poke him in the eye (with keys, spray, utensils, etc)
- push herself away and lock herself in a room while calling for help
- stomp down on his foot
We don’t know, but inside your own home, there are dozens of potential weapons, usually within reach.
The key for this woman, is that she kept her wits about her, and her defenses up, even as she was being dominated. She didn’t give up.
What she could have done differently?
The report states that it was the early hours of Sunday morning – that’s a red flag right there. Not many people tend to “drop by” early Sunday morning.
Next, it states she “opened the door to find…” You don’t want to find out who’s there after opening the door, you want to know who’s there before opening the door. Did she have a peep hole or chain?
Did she ask who was there before opening the door?
This simple precaution could have prevented the attack by asking who was there and what they wanted?
If you’re unsure who’s at your door, don’t open it. Better to offend an innocent bystander than be attacked by a perpetrator.
Takeaways from the Attack
The woman prevented being raped or murdered by her courage to act in spite of her fear. Her quick thinking lead her to injure the assailant enough that he stopped the attack and fled.
Could you be so brave?
In hindsight, the woman may have avoided having to sever the tongue of the perpetrator by checking a peep hole. She could have used a chain on the door or asked who was there and what they wanted, before opening her door.
The good news is that the confrontation could have ended up much worse for the woman. But, by keeping her senses and not giving up, she acted in spite of her fear and ended an attack before the assailants full intentions were known.
Remain Vigilant,
David Koons
ProtectandDefendInc.com
“Practical Self Defense Solutions”
Related articles
- Woman Bites Off Man’s Tongue During Attempted Sexual Assault (dreamindemon.com)
- Woman Bites Off Man’s Tongue Fending Off Sexual Assault In Stamford (newyork.cbslocal.com)
- The Missing Tongue (museofmystery.wordpress.com)
