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The New Superpower for Women
Trust Your Intuition, Predict Dangerous Situations, and Defend Yourself from the Unthinkable
By Steve Kardian and A. Clara Pistek
Table of Contents
About The Book
It takes only seven seconds for a criminal to pick you as a target. This empowering guide for women to protect themselves and their loved ones, from a self-defense expert and longtime veteran of law enforcement, combines commonsense advice on staying safe with concrete actions on what to do if find yourself in a dangerous situation.
Acts of terror. Kidnapping. Cyberstalking. Campus assaults. Getting drugged at a party by a “friend.” One out of four women will be a victim of a crime or assault in her lifetime. Don’t let this be you.
In The New Superpower for Women, Steve Kardian, a thirty-year veteran of law enforcement, FBI defense tactics instructor, and an expert on the criminal mind, demonstrates how to become a “hard target” and not a “soft target” by simply trusting your gut. Additionally, he shows how the habits of safety can become an integral part of your daily routine.
This guide is your essential resource to understanding how to stay safe in today’s world, whether you’re experiencing unwelcome attention, feel threatened in a large crowd, or are facing online harassment. Kardian shares proven safety tips, shows how to be proactive in identifying potential trouble, and illustrates defense techniques specially created to enhance the physical strengths of a woman. Real-life stories and examples are included to demonstrate what criminals look for in a victim. You will learn how to avoid being targeted and what to do in a confrontation.
Be prepared. Know the habits of safety to protect yourself and your loved ones.
Acts of terror. Kidnapping. Cyberstalking. Campus assaults. Getting drugged at a party by a “friend.” One out of four women will be a victim of a crime or assault in her lifetime. Don’t let this be you.
In The New Superpower for Women, Steve Kardian, a thirty-year veteran of law enforcement, FBI defense tactics instructor, and an expert on the criminal mind, demonstrates how to become a “hard target” and not a “soft target” by simply trusting your gut. Additionally, he shows how the habits of safety can become an integral part of your daily routine.
This guide is your essential resource to understanding how to stay safe in today’s world, whether you’re experiencing unwelcome attention, feel threatened in a large crowd, or are facing online harassment. Kardian shares proven safety tips, shows how to be proactive in identifying potential trouble, and illustrates defense techniques specially created to enhance the physical strengths of a woman. Real-life stories and examples are included to demonstrate what criminals look for in a victim. You will learn how to avoid being targeted and what to do in a confrontation.
Be prepared. Know the habits of safety to protect yourself and your loved ones.
Excerpt
The New Superpower for Women FOREWORD
When I was seventeen years old, I was kidnapped from a shopping mall in broad daylight, taken to an isolated location, and sexually assaulted.
I was in a parking lot, getting into my car after my shift at Woodfield Mall in a suburb of Chicago where I was working to pay for my upcoming college expenses. When I saw a man approaching me, all my internal alarms went off. He looked menacing and walked in an odd way. The parking lot was empty. It seemed that he was following me. I had an urge to run but ignored the messages my intuition was sending me, partly because I didn’t know where to run and partly because I didn’t want to cause a scene. I had been singing out loud and was embarrassed that he had heard me.
As I put my key into the lock of my car, a shadow came up behind me. Before I knew it, there was a knife at my throat and I was in the back seat of a car that was parked right across from mine. After I was assaulted, he drove me to a parking garage, set me free, and told me to count to one hundred while he made his getaway. During the time I was held captive and powerless, I managed to consciously catalog details about his car and face, and that information led to his later arrest. He was a repeat sex offender who was on parole for murdering a fifteen-year-old girl named Julie Angel.
That was twenty years ago, and the experience profoundly changed my life. I became a survivor activist and founded Promoting Awareness | Victim Empowerment (PAVE), a national nonprofit organization that helps to prevent sexual violence and empower survivors. When Steve Kardian heard my story, one of the first things he said to me was “You are lucky to be alive.” I’ve learned that statistically, the chances of my surviving that experience and seeing my parents and family again were less than 5 percent.
The New Superpower for Women is a must-read for all women so that they will never have to hear the words “You are lucky to be alive.” It is a must-read for all parents so that they will never have to go through what my mom and dad did.
All of Steve’s passion for women’s safety, his long history in law enforcement, which includes serving as an FBI defense tactics instructor, has been poured into this book. Using real-life scenarios, Steve explains what happens in the moments leading up to an assault and shows that how we respond in those seconds can affect our safety.
Although the perpetrator in my case was a stranger, overwhelmingly it is someone who we know and trust that commits the crime. This book arms us with concrete ways to protect ourselves in these situations as well. Steve also recognizes that crime is never the victim’s fault. Especially in cases of sexual violence, survivors are often blamed and shamed into silence. Steve shatters the silence of sexual violence and equips us with the tools to better defend ourselves.
Shining a light on a culture that too often condones sexual assault and blames survivors, this book illuminates the key to unlocking every woman’s superpower—trusting her own intuition.
Angela Rose
Founder and Executive Director of Promoting Awareness | Victim Empowerment (PAVE)
www.ShatteringTheSilence.org
When I was seventeen years old, I was kidnapped from a shopping mall in broad daylight, taken to an isolated location, and sexually assaulted.
I was in a parking lot, getting into my car after my shift at Woodfield Mall in a suburb of Chicago where I was working to pay for my upcoming college expenses. When I saw a man approaching me, all my internal alarms went off. He looked menacing and walked in an odd way. The parking lot was empty. It seemed that he was following me. I had an urge to run but ignored the messages my intuition was sending me, partly because I didn’t know where to run and partly because I didn’t want to cause a scene. I had been singing out loud and was embarrassed that he had heard me.
As I put my key into the lock of my car, a shadow came up behind me. Before I knew it, there was a knife at my throat and I was in the back seat of a car that was parked right across from mine. After I was assaulted, he drove me to a parking garage, set me free, and told me to count to one hundred while he made his getaway. During the time I was held captive and powerless, I managed to consciously catalog details about his car and face, and that information led to his later arrest. He was a repeat sex offender who was on parole for murdering a fifteen-year-old girl named Julie Angel.
That was twenty years ago, and the experience profoundly changed my life. I became a survivor activist and founded Promoting Awareness | Victim Empowerment (PAVE), a national nonprofit organization that helps to prevent sexual violence and empower survivors. When Steve Kardian heard my story, one of the first things he said to me was “You are lucky to be alive.” I’ve learned that statistically, the chances of my surviving that experience and seeing my parents and family again were less than 5 percent.
The New Superpower for Women is a must-read for all women so that they will never have to hear the words “You are lucky to be alive.” It is a must-read for all parents so that they will never have to go through what my mom and dad did.
All of Steve’s passion for women’s safety, his long history in law enforcement, which includes serving as an FBI defense tactics instructor, has been poured into this book. Using real-life scenarios, Steve explains what happens in the moments leading up to an assault and shows that how we respond in those seconds can affect our safety.
Although the perpetrator in my case was a stranger, overwhelmingly it is someone who we know and trust that commits the crime. This book arms us with concrete ways to protect ourselves in these situations as well. Steve also recognizes that crime is never the victim’s fault. Especially in cases of sexual violence, survivors are often blamed and shamed into silence. Steve shatters the silence of sexual violence and equips us with the tools to better defend ourselves.
Shining a light on a culture that too often condones sexual assault and blames survivors, this book illuminates the key to unlocking every woman’s superpower—trusting her own intuition.
Angela Rose
Founder and Executive Director of Promoting Awareness | Victim Empowerment (PAVE)
www.ShatteringTheSilence.org
About The Authors
Steve Rossi
Steve Kardian spent more than thirty years as a career law enforcement officer, including time as an FBI defense tactics instructor. He is a partner at Defend University, a self-defense program created specifically for women that has trained and educated over 100,000 women of all ages. Kardian has dedicated his career to teaching women about safety, risk reduction, and crime prevention. He holds a 3rd degree black belt and the title of professor in Gracie Jiu-Jitsu. Kardian has been featured in media outlets such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, USA TODAY, Real Simple, Women’s Day, and Cosmopolitan. He appears regularly as an expert in national media, including Fox News, Fox and Friends, Fox Business, CNN, Inside Edition, Headline News, Nightline, The Meredith Vieira Show, Kathy Lee & Hoda, Dr. Drew, and Dr. Phil. He lives in Westchester, New York, and is the author of The New Superpower for Women.
Product Details
- Publisher: Atria Books (August 8, 2017)
- Length: 240 pages
- ISBN13: 9781501159244
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Raves and Reviews
"The New Superpower for Women is a must-read for all women so that they will never have to hear the words “You are lucky to be alive.” It is a must-read for all parents so that they will never have to go through what my mom and dad did. All of Steve’s passion for women’s safety, his long history in law enforcement, which includes serving as an FBI defense tactics instructor, has been poured into this book. Using real-life scenarios, Steve explains what happens in the moments leading up to an assault and shows that how we respond in those seconds can affect our safety.
Although the perpetrator in my case was a stranger, overwhelmingly it is someone who we know and trust that commits the crime. This book arms us with concrete ways to protect ourselves in these situations as well. Steve also recognizes that crime is never the victim’s fault. Especially in cases of sexual violence, survivors are often blamed and shamed into silence. Steve shatters the silence of sexual violence and equips us with the tools to better defend ourselves.
Shining a light on a culture that too often condones sexual assault and blames survivors, this book illuminates the key to unlocking every woman’s superpower—trusting her own intuition."--Angela Rose, Founder and Executive Director of Promoting Awareness/Victim Empowerment (PAVE)
“Steve Kardian has a fantastic new book it’s called the New Super Power For Women. Check it out and give to the women in your life, it might save a life!” —Dr. Mehmet Oz
“The New Super Power For Women is an encyclopedia of safety that may very well save your life.” —Megan Alexander, National Correspondent, Inside Edition
“One of the best books I’ve read on the fundamentals of personal self-defense. NO BS approach.” —Kevin Seaman, Foremost Authority on Bruce Lee’s Jeet Kune Do
Resources and Downloads
High Resolution Images
- Book Cover Image (jpg): The New Superpower for Women Trade Paperback 9781501159244
- Author Photo (jpg): Steve Kardian Steve Rossi(0.1 MB)
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