How do you handle an attacker that is eight months pregnant?

Question

I can't give details but I am a smaller EMT (130 lbs) and was called to a domestic for a laceration to the head. Police were there but not in proximity.

My initial reaction was a double arm bar (locking arms behind back), but you can't bring them down on their belly.

Please star my question.

Answer 1

Where do you people come up with this stuff?

Answer 2

Ideally:

Make sure she and whoever else was involved aren't the ones to raise the child.

Practically:

Avoid things that put her on her belly.  An armbar? No.  A reverse armbar leading down to her butt on the ground, sure.

Gut punch? No.  Wrist lock that forces her down or prevents her having an opening to you, sure.

Throws? No.

Strikes? No.

Your armbar idea...  does that have to bring her to the ground on her belly or can it also control and neutralize her without a takedown at all?  I bet (bases on a guess as to what you mean) that you don't have to take her down to her belly but can just control her until you have backup.

Whatever you do, make sure to protect her fall.  Yes - she is attacking you.  On the other hand, the baby inside isn't and you are dealing with both of them.  Might have to take one for the team, but you are under no obligation to protect her or her baby at the expense of your own safety.

This is a great example of its not about hurting the other its about protecting yourself - protecting yourself doesn't imply or require hurting the attacker.

re: another poster commented that its a pregnant woman and she cannot hurt you...  its never wise to underestimate anyone no matter who or what they are.

For instance, she has hormones raging and knows you have to be careful - advantage her before anything happens.

'Can't hurt you' is a pretty bold statement indeed.  The most dangerous dog is the one that is scared, injured or otherwise in a weak position...  the one that seems the least threatening.

The biggest reason something is dangerous is because its not recognized as potentially dangerous in the first place.  You dismiss a potential danger and you let your guard down.  No sooner than you relax and the 'non-threat' has the advantage.

Relax when you are having a beer with friends rather then when responding to a domestic.

Cops hate domestic calls - they are the most dangerous of all and what do you find?  Pregnant women among other things...

Not a threat my ***.

Answer 3

EAT HER BABY!!! O_o

Answer 4

Good question! Unfortunately, protocols, while designed to cover a wide variety of situations, cannot cover every single issue. Generally, though, we take a defensive role in EMS, not an offensive one. Back off, appear non-threatening, and gently talk with the patient. In 9 out of 10 situations, backing off and conversing with the patient yields positive results. Your average patient in a domestic issue is stressed, anxious, and scared. Sometimes (often!) alcohol or drug use is involved. Most patients just want to know that they are being listened to, and while a lot of arm waving and yelling is involved, in nearly three years of EMS, I've only had a patient make aggressive physical contact with me 5 or 6 times.

If police were present on scene, I'd have backed off very quickly and yelled for the police. If I had to restrain the patient from striking me, I'd have blocked with my forearms or grabbed their wrists. If you want to "take down" a patient, become a cop. That's not what we do in EMS.

And I'm only 115 lbs, and have had people three times my size scream at me, charge towards me, and threaten me. Nearly all situations can be resolved or lessened if you remember to be calm, compassionate, and keep your personal safety in mind (never let a patient get in between you and the door).  

Answer 5

this sounds heartless, but -

your safety is YOUR concern.  the baby's safety is HER concern.  do what you have to do to immobilize the threat.  her body will protect the baby and i'm pretty sure you have access to drugs in your ambulance to stop labor if it starts as a result of defending yourself.  and you can always bring her down on her side if not her belly.  pregnant women can be meaner and quicker than most people think.

Answer 6

You let her do whatever she wants short of killing you.  

Answer 7

Power walk away. They can't run that fast.... But seriously. Since they're pregnant, I wouldn't take them to the ground at all. Use stand up grappling such as wrist and shoulder locks.

Answer 8

throw pickles at her.

Answer 9

sleeper hold from behind

Answer 10

yikes, thats a tough one. plus being a EMT im sure that you have a lot of protocol to follow and rules about would be assailants. i remember when one of my female freind became drunk at a house party. she started wailing on people. shes 5 10 and a solid girl. so not only was she throwing down girls, she was handling some guys as well. i had to jump in and just put on a rear naked choke on her. i didnt put a lot of force into it. i wasnt trying to put her out just trying to suck a little breath out of her. having studied BJJ i knew what chokes cut air off and which ones cut off blood supply (the dangerous ones). like chris rock said, "i dont hit women, but i'll shake the h**l out of them!" can you do that to a woman who is preggers? i guess just scream in her ears. pinch her. indian burn her.  

Answer 11

Hold the wrist, and trip them by sticking your leg behind theres, when they are falling you have a hold of there wrist so they dont land hard.

Answer 12

This is a tough one because you have to account for what could be traumatic enough to put her into early labor.

My suggestion is this (and is situation dependent, so keep that in mind):

If you can get behind her, push one hand and arm across her face to turn her head and push gently at her lower back as you pull her head toward you. As her balance breaks, let her shoulders slide back gently against your chest and cross your other arm over her head. Your position will prevent much range of motion for the arms, but step back a little while sliding her head down your chest and you'll eliminate her reach toward your face. Slowly push one leg back into a rear lunge and lower yourself down keeping one knee against her as you lean forward. BE CAREFUL! (I shouldn't need to tell you, an EMT, what this position could lead to) You want to immobilize her and the twist and light pressure will allow a cop on scene time to cuff her or a second EMT to sedate if possible.

Remember that domestics can turn bad for any third party, so you need to keep your head up and looking around in case of a secondary attacker.

I hope this helps.

Answer 13

Dude its a pregnant woman. She can't hurt you. Just protect yourself and back away. Just get her talking.

Answer 14

she doesn't seem to care about her baby if she is kicking *** i say bit. ch   slap the hoe.. her face arms and legs are free game .

Answer 15

kick in the stomach lol

Answer 16

Apparently I don't understand your 'occupation'. It seems to me your job is to treat injuries, not fight off attackers. That is the police's job and you should not feel obliged to place yourself in danger, for both physical and legal reasons. However, I would try TALKING, reasoning with the attacker FIRST (while protecting my own safety), that you want to (must) HELP, not harm anyone, and try to appeal to their seeing you as objective (therefore non-threatening) and needing to do your job. Are you solo-responding to this situation with no partner? And I don't understand your not knowing of 'authorized procedures and/or training' because there definitely should be some.      

Answer 17

Using tear gas, It doesn't harm the baby

Answer 18

You're 130 lbs and she's 8 months pregnant; how bout a simple jog away from the situation/attack? Or you can just taze her bro.

Answer 19

arm drag. when she sticks her arm at you grab behind the elbow and pull it across your body at a 45 degree angle. as you do this you step behind her and put your arm in a sleeper type hold and pull back to keep her from falling. pull back on the neck and push you knee behind hers to put her on her knees. That is what you could do. how ever if the anywhere close I think I would walk really quickly to them or h**l if I had to run from a pregnant woman to save the unborn child I would run

Answer 20

Um.... wow. Standing Kimura?

Answer 21

police are to secure the scene before emt's are allowed in

Answer 22

Back out and wait for the police to secure the scene.  

I know you want to help people but as an EMT you're not obligated to go into a situation where someone is being violent toward you.  That's what the cops get paid for.

Answer 23

Honestly, your best choice is to block/avoid the attack and evade her.

I wouldn't even stick around because she could over-exert herself and cause harm that way as well.

If you were trapped and forced to defend, I would use redirects only to defend yourself.  Eventually, the woman would tire and give up.

Answer 24

Don't taze her bro!!!!

Answer 25

just live her alone

Answer 26

A reverse trip while (properly) restraining the arms can lead an aggessor in question to (safely) fall backward onto thier behind.

all that you needed to do was gently apply backward pressure to the armbar to lead the person in question into an area where there is enough room to guide them to the ground or surface area without hurting them by leading them into a properly timed backwards collision with an outstretched foot. Once their balance is lost be sure to catch them and use thier momentum to guide them to the ground. For more visual information on this technique, be sure to reference information on judo. Judo is a martial art that takes force and forward momentum from an attacker and uses it to respond to the attack, usually by redirecting the direction of a physical blow. This can drive an attacker to the ground without injuring either party, or it can be used to throw them into the air so they will land a safe distance away. If you intend to use these techniques in your line of work I would reccomend seeking out a properly trained and licenced instructor to teach you in their proper use and execution, to avoid accidental injury or lawsuits.  

Answer 27

Very carefully!