In self-defense situations, two basic ideas can be formulated. The first -- the one that underlies any act of self-defense -- is willpower. Willpower is a joint decision made by the mind and the body to defend itself. The second idea is that the body is a collection of potentially lethal weapons and vulnerable targets. Amid talk of women's lack of bodily strength relative to men, the fact remains that every male has vulnerable areas and every female has powerful weapons to use against those targets. However, not all attacks call for a physical response; many attacks can be stopped by verbal response before they become violent. The common denominator in all these experiences is the desire to live and to survive the experience. The book is divided into seven parts: loss of innocence, the power of the voice, intuition and willpower, weapons at hand, life-threatening assaults, teamwork, and life strategies and self-defense tips. Self-defense programs in the U.S. and Canada are listed. Bibliography.