As Phil Ventrello watched another new client leave one of his self-defense classes, he felt somewhat helpless. That’s surprising because Phil is the owner and senior instructor of Impact Martial Arts Alliance, in Erie, PA and is now training for his 4th degree black belt. “Trust me, I’m certainly not invincible, but it’s not me that I’m so worried about”, says Ventrello.
Ventrello specializes in reality based self-defense training, general safety awareness, bullying prevention and safety workshops. He’s had enough experience working with people who have been victims of an assault, and was determined to make a difference.
“It’s really tragic that people come to me when it’s too late”, says Ventrello. “I honestly believe they would not have become a victim if they had just been able to fight back effectively…and escape.”
Most people are probably unaware of how high the assault rate is. Recent FBI statistics show that every 2 minutes, someone in the US is sexually assaulted, and in fact, 1 in 5 women will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime. Sadly, college aged women are 4 times more likely to be assaulted.
“I’m an advocate of any and all means of self-defense”, says Ventrello. “This starts with your awareness of the potential dangers in your surroundings, and avoiding them. Unfortunately though, there are times when you have no other choice than to defend yourself.”
There was a time when it was believed that the best way to survive an attack was to be more passive, but Ventrello believes quite the opposite. “It is your right to fight back tooth and nail and escape, rather than end up being held hostage or dead in a field”, says Ventrello. “Most people have no real idea how terrifying a real-life, violent attack can be. Predators are wired completely differently, and have absolutely no concerns about hurting you badly.”
So what will you do if you have to protect yourself from an attacker? Are you really prepared?
A conflict that cannot be avoided or resolved requires immediate action. Some rely on martial arts training, and others rely on self-defense products. Neither option is guaranteed to give you a safe outcome, but they can certainly give you an advantage.
Of course, Ventrello knows that martial arts demands a great deal of time and commitment, and is simply not for everyone. He also found that many women, those statistically most at risk, are reluctant to carry something for their protection. Why? Their natural fashion sense shuns self-defense products that are typically too big, bulky, scary looking, etc.
“I thought, why can’t I make something that’s effective – and great looking?”, says Ventrello. So, he combined his two career skills – Martial Artist and Graphic Designer, and invented MUNIO, “the unique keychain that blends safety with style.” He accomplished this by decorating MUNIO with his own custom artwork and designing MUNIO to overcome the disadvantages of other self-defense products. “Although all of them have some potential to protect you, they are not as versatile”, says Ventrello. “For instance, try using pepper spray if you’re suddenly grabbed around your arms from behind. That’s a very common surprise attack.”
The name MUNIO actually means “I defend” or “I protect” and perfectly fits Ventrello’s goal of empowering everyone with a safety advantage. MUNIO is now being incorporated in self-defense and public safety programs by businesses, universities, martial artists and law enforcement officers.
You can learn more about MUNIO and how it can help you be safer by visiting the MUNIO website at www.safeandstylish.com
