Stories of Survival: Women Who Fought Back. Inspired by “The Gift of Fear” by Gavin de Becker

At Sentinel Combatives, we believe that real self-defense begins long before any physical altercation—it starts with intuition, awareness, and the willingness to trust your instincts. Few resources capture this better than Gavin de Becker’s landmark book, The Gift of Fear, which powerfully underscores that intuition is our most primal and reliable survival tool.

This week, we’re highlighting powerful true stories of women who survived violent encounters—not by sheer luck, but by listening to their inner alarm, taking action, and, when necessary, fighting back. These stories are not about victimhood—they’re about courage, clarity, and survival.

The Gift of Fear: Trusting Your Instincts

Before we dive into the stories, it's important to emphasize what de Becker teaches: Fear is a gift—a signal from your subconscious that something is wrong, even when your logical brain tries to dismiss it.

“Intuition is always right in at least two important ways: It is always in response to something. It always has your best interest at heart.” — Gavin de Becker, The Gift of Fear

Too often, people—especially women—are conditioned to override their discomfort for the sake of politeness. But these stories prove that your intuition doesn’t owe anyone kindness—it owes you survival.

The Woman Who Refused to Let Him Help

Scenario drawn from “The Gift of Fear”

A woman carrying groceries to her apartment was approached by a man offering to help her. Though everything about the encounter seemed “nice,” her gut told her something was wrong. She initially said no, but he insisted—and she relented.

Once inside her apartment, the situation turned dark. But at the last moment, her intuition screamed again. When the man left the room briefly, she took the chance to run. She survived.

Lesson:
De Becker emphasizes that the word “no” is a complete sentence. Predators often test boundaries with seemingly small offers. Trust the feeling, not the appearance. If something feels off, it is.

Sentinel Takeaway:
Predators often use tactics like forced teaming (“Let me help you”), charm, or guilt to lower defenses. We train students to recognize these behaviors as pre-incident indicators and to respond assertively.

The College Student Who Noticed the Look

Inspired by case studies in de Becker’s research

A female college student walked into a parking garage late one evening and noticed a man walking parallel to her. Nothing about him seemed threatening—he wasn’t saying anything, not acting aggressively. But something about the way he looked at her triggered unease.

Instead of continuing to her car, she turned and walked quickly toward the campus police station. Later, police identified that same man as a suspect in a string of assaults.

Lesson:
What did she notice? Something subtle. De Becker calls it the “messenger of intuition.” A glance. A posture. A silent tension in the air. Her fear didn’t require a “rational” explanation—it was her built-in threat detection working exactly as designed.

Sentinel Takeaway:
We teach that situational awareness isn’t just seeing what’s around you—it’s feeling what’s off. Our drills incorporate stress inoculation and environmental scanning to strengthen that sixth sense.

The Woman Who Fought Back and Lived

Case featured in The Gift of Fear

One of the most harrowing stories in de Becker’s book is of a woman who survived an attempted rape and murder by trusting her gut—even after things seemed momentarily safe. The attacker had held her hostage in her own home, but once she complied, he seemed to calm down. When he got up to go into the kitchen, something inside her told her “he’s going to kill me now.” She escaped through a window and survived.

Her attacker later admitted he intended to murder her in that moment.

Lesson:
Even after a situation appears to de-escalate, intuition can tell you the danger is not over. The body knows what the mind is afraid to admit. She survived because she didn’t rationalize away her fear.

Sentinel Takeaway:
We emphasize that compliance may sometimes be a bridge to escape, but you must stay mentally alert and ready to act the moment the opportunity arises. This mindset is as important as any physical technique.

The Teen Who Set Boundaries and Avoided a Trap

A modern-day scenario echoing de Becker’s themes

A teenage girl at a mall was approached by a friendly older man who struck up a conversation about a local sports team. He seemed helpful, even protective, offering to walk her to her car. Something in her gut told her this was a test. She declined politely but firmly, walked into a store, and asked the clerk to escort her to security.

Security confirmed he had been reported before.

Lesson:
Predators often use charm as a tool of manipulation, not affection. De Becker teaches that charm is an action, not a trait. It’s what someone does, not who they are.

Sentinel Takeaway:
We help women and teens develop confident communication and boundary-setting skills. Being polite is never more important than being safe.

Final Thoughts: Intuition + Action = Survival

What each of these stories has in common is not just survival—it’s the moment of decision. Each woman trusted her internal warning system. Some ran. Some fought. Some said no and meant it. But all acted decisively.

At Sentinel Combatives, we train students in both the physical tools of defense and the psychological tools of survival. Inspired by The Gift of Fear, we believe that your body’s warning system is your first—and most reliable—line of defense.

You already have the gift. We’ll help you sharpen it.

Want to learn how to trust your gut and back it up with skill?

For more insight, we highly recommend reading The Gift of Fear by Gavin de Becker—required reading for anyone serious about real-world safety.