When Laura Frombach was first attacked in a laundromat, she froze

“I was attacked three times,” Frombach said. “He had me around the neck, and that did not have a good outcome."

The next time she was attacked, Frombach said she knew what to do.

“I punched both of those attackers in the throat full on in the windpipe,” Frombach said.

Frombach, a technologist, is working with retired deputy sheriff Joy Farrow to help other women learn to live defensively.

“Your politeness can be very dangerous,” Farrow said, adding that 28 years of working in law enforcement showed her that women need to learn to be rude.

“There have been numerous cases where predators have just knocked on the door just to see if somebody's going to open the door, and women are just that friendly,” Farrow said.

Farrow tells women to trust their instincts.

“You have to realize now that you have a built-in burglar alarm,” Farrow said.

Dawn and dusk are the most dangerous times for women.

“Predators know that they're going to have their headphones in, and they're going to be running alone by themselves,” Farrow said.

The duo says wear your headphones in transparency mode so you can hear what's going on around you. Also, don't overshare your location. 

There are two items every woman should have handy.

“Bear spray is really helpful. It’s a pepper spray that shoots in a stream about 30 feet,” explains Frombach.

Also, carry a tactical pen. It’s a pen on one end and a sharp point on the other.

“You can jab it into their hand, jab it into their neck, jab it into their face,” Frombach said.

Farrow and Frombach say you can have a safety strategy, and be aware of what's going on around you without living in fear.

Watch the video above for the full story.