Wheelchair users in the greater Atlanta area now have the opportunity to learn life saving self-defense techniques for free at the city’s renowned Shepherd Center. The rehab hospital has been providing self-defense training for its inpatient population, but is now expanding their quarterly classes to the broader community of wheelchair users after a member of their peer group was mugged and assaulted at an area Target.

“I didn’t think about offering it to our community, but when Kim had this incident, it brought it to the forefront,” says Shepherd Center Peer Support Supervisor Minna Hong. “So we said why don’t we see if we can’t get something going for the community?”

Wheelchair user Kim Smith, 30, was shopping at a local target in early January when two assailants approached her and preceded to violently attack her and steal her belongings.

“She was inside Target at 7 p.m. on a Sunday and someone gut-punched her,” says Hong. “She tipped forward and they stole her purse and wanted her phone, and she caught it all on camera.”

Smith says she was surprised that nobody came to her aid in the somewhat crowded store, but nearby shoppers seemed unaware the attack was happening.

“When it happened, the aisle I was on was empty but I knew people were around me,” she says. “It’s amazing that nobody happened to turn the corner and see it happen.”

Although she feels fortunate to have escaped virtually unscathed, Smith says the experience left her feeling uneasy and wanting to learn how to fight back.

“I want to take the class so that if anybody gets their hands on me, maybe I can learn something that will help me,” she explains.

And Hong hopes others who use wheelchairs will be inspired to take action and follow Smith’s lead.

“Kim has herself together,” she says. “She’s not a victim. She is smart and tenacious. For someone like her to have this happen, then it could happen to anyone.”

The class meets four times a year and is free to all wheelchair users in the Atlanta area. The next class meets Wednesday Feb. 17 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the fourth floor gym of The Shepherd Center. Contact Minna Hong at Minna_Hong@shepherd.org for more information.

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