Feel unsafe in NYC? You can hire a personal bodyguard on demand
Unless you count elbowing sorority girls to get a bartender’s attention, I’ve never been involved in a real NYC tussle.
But at 5-foot-2 and 115 pounds — OK, maybe a little more post-lockdown — perhaps I should hone my combat skills. After all, crime is apparently on the rise and women are stepping up their self-defense game.
Peter Tay, a jujitsu instructor who teaches one-on-ones in the Flatiron District, told me that in the past six months, he’s seen a 30% jump in inquiries from women, including a few from the Upper West Side where locals have clashed with the city in the courts for turning hotels into homeless shelters.
“Two of my girls say they can’t walk down their street without being harassed,” said Tay, who teaches chokeholds and takedowns to 10 to 15 students a week.
Unsure about my abilities to deliver a damning blow, I found the next best thing: a personal security app, called Bond, that offers trained bodyguards you can book by the half-hour on demand.
By Suzy Weiss October 26, 2020 | 6:20pm
