"I Hope We Won’t Need This”: Woman Raised by Military Men Shares 3 Self-Defence Tips

• A South African woman raised among military men shared three self-defence tips she says have kept her safe her entire life
• Her tips cover disarming a firearm, stopping a moving car during an abduction, and detecting a spiked drink at a club
• South African women in the comments flooded the post with their own safety additions, showing how widely the advice resonated

A South African woman who grew up surrounded by military men is sharing the self-defence lessons she learned in childhood, and women across the country are taking notes.

TikToker @kebidoo_ posted the video on 16 September 2026, speaking directly to camera in a candid, no-nonsense tone. She explained that because the men who raised her were in the military, playground games were never really on the agenda. Instead, she was taught practical ways to protect herself from a young age.

Her first tip involves learning how to knock a firearm out of someone's hand and dismantle it so it cannot be used. She was clear that this requires no licence. Her second tip targets abduction scenarios. She advised that if a woman can reach the ignition of a moving car, particularly older models like a Toyota Corolla commonly used in crimes, she should push the key in, twist it and pull it out. This creates an emergency stop. She then said to throw the key out of the window.

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Her third tip focuses on drink spiking. She recommended sticking to a single drink throughout a night out, arguing that your palate adjusts to the taste and makes it easier to detect when something has been added. If you suspect tampering, she suggested biting into a lemon or drinking lemon juice, then getting into an Uber immediately.

As a bonus, @kebidoo_ touched on South African law and self-defence, noting that a woman can act in self-defence without facing jail time, but only if she reacts immediately. Returning later, she said, is treated as revenge rather than defence.

She closed the video with a hope that felt heavier than the tips themselves: that one day she would not need to pass these lessons on to her daughters, because men would be teaching other men how to behave. Watch the self-defence tips video that got South Africa talking:

Women react with safety tips

The video struck a nerve, and women in the comments were quick to share what they know:

@FENTSE - Skye said:

"Wow, is this us now? Is this our reality?! 😔"

@zithobemacheli added:

"These are so helpful but wow, I can't believe we've gotten to this!"

@Octavia shared:

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"It's my first time seeing you, and I like you. Coz honestly, I am tired of being sad and helpless; we need to be more angry and less sad."

@LadyT added her own tip:

"And never ever allow someone to take you to the second location; fight with everything you have."

@Manana✨ suggested:

"Keep activated charcoal in your bags if you go to the club 💜"

@Emly offered:

"Carry hot sauce or a combination of cayenne pepper or vinegar as well in case your drink gets spiked."

@jones said simply:

"My boyfriend was teaching me last night. 🥲"

Other Briefly News stories about the Ekurhuleni murders

• Police discovered the body of a woman in her 30s, stripped naked and wrapped in a sheet on an open field in Dawn Park, Boksburg.
• Content creator @doveemeatt published a detailed timeline covering the Ekurhuleni victims and highlighting the recovery of a 25-year-old woman found raped and strangled in a Pretoria West flat.
• US-based TikTok creator @lexi.lovelyy released a viral video drawing international awareness to South Africa's systemic gender-based violence following the discovery of eight bodies across Ekurhuleni.

Source: Briefly News