MANY people do not know what to do if they have the misfortune to be attacked.

While most of us would like to think we would fight back, not knowing how to react can cause people to freeze when they are in danger.

Self-defence sessions can give people ideas and the training required to fight back.

One form of self-defence is Israeli martial art krav maga, a form of street fighting that can be used against mugging and sexual attacks.

Sessions cover defences against punches, kicks, bear hugs, chokes, mugging, sexual attack, attacks by several people at a time and what to do if approached by someone with a weapon.

Participants practise defending themselves in a range of scenarios — from lying on the floor to sitting on a chair at a bar, inside, outside and in the dark — to see how their minds and bodies react in different situations.

They also learn how to be aware of what to look for in other people — their body language, hand gestures and the way they walk.

To find out more, I decided to attend one of the krav maga sessions run by Carl Cooper at Exeter Community Centre in St David's Hill, Exeter, on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings.

When I arrived at the centre and saw a group of men, most of whom were bigger than I was, I felt more than a little daunted.

But I need not have worried. Although women are often smaller and not as strong as their attackers, krav maga is about technique rather than strength.

This was proved when I was paired with Jon Massey, who regularly attends sessions at the centre.

He pretended to attack me by grabbing hold of me and I practised techniques such as elbow strikes to defend myself.

In one move, involving pulling his hair to restrain his head, twisting him round by putting my hand under his chin and pushing upwards, then kicking the back of his leg, I actually made him fall down.

Although I am not usually an aggressive or violent person, the class certainly got my adrenaline pumping and I was surprised to find I actually enjoyed it.

Carl, who has been teaching the martial art since 2003, said: "Krav maga is not about strength as simple, painful techniques can be used by anybody, any size.

"It does not require much strength to poke somebody in the eye."

He added that the most important thing was to try to avoid being attacked in the first place.

"I would advise being aware of what is happening around you, to look confident and give the impression that you are streetwise," he said.

"This can often prevent you becoming a victim in the first place.

"If somebody unknown to you approaches then knowing what distance to maintain could be crucial to escaping safely.

"Striking should be the last resort but, if required, then it should be done 100 per cent."