Teaching people practical self-defence is the driving philosophy behind sensei Bruce Monteith's White Dragon Jujutsu dojo in Napier and it's a skill he's been teaching people of all ages and abilities for more than 20 years.
He said the techniques used in the martial art were designed to use the attacker's energy to thwart an unprovoked attack and, combined with the use of voice and preventative measures, were empowering and reduced the risk of being harmed.
The main tool in people's arsenal, however, was street awareness, Mr Monteith said.
"In today's society, people need strategies not only to protect themselves, but also to come to the aid of others who may be in trouble."
It was hard to be specific about the actions people could take if subject to an assault - the main advice was to be mentally prepared, and seek regular training so that any physical defence actions were embedded in the muscle memory, he said.
"This involves role playing so that you have a clear understanding of how you can react in a variety of situations - and that includes verbal, mental and physical responses.
"It's about feeling empowered and confident in your ability to keep yourself safe - confidence and self-esteem are important factors."
Police area prevention manager Inspector Andy Sloan said while the community was a relatively safe place it was not crime free and it was important people took precautions to look after themselves.
"Police work in and with our communities to make local people be safe and feel safe, and offer a range of prevention advice, which includes advice on staying safe in public places."
One word of warning was that while people enjoyed listening to music and the likes on their smartphones they should always be aware of their surroundings.
For people walking alone at night, police advised that where possible they keep to well-lit areas, keep bags containing valuables close to the body and their cellphone where it could be easily reached.
It was also recommended to walk close to the gutter, not beside shop doorways, and walk facing the traffic.
If heading out to a pub, club or party, it was suggested people take their cellphones with them, make sure someone knew where they were going and to make a plan with friends on how to get home, including keeping aside bus or taxi fares.
There was a law relating to self defence, Mr Sloan said.
Under Section 48 of the Crimes Act, 1961: "Everyone is justified in using, in the defence of himself or another, such force as, in the circumstances as he believes them to be, it is reasonable to use."
He said this meant people were allowed to defend themselves from attack, with the proviso to use common sense.
"The idea is to defend yourself, not to cause injury or get revenge. If you use unreasonable force, you are committing a crime.
"Your first concern should always be for your own safety and that of others with you. Never take the law into your own hands or take unnecessary risks."
- Go to the video section of the Hawke's Bay Today website to see footage of Bruce Monteith and student Go Ogawa practising their self defence strategies.