NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — September is realtor safety month, and on Wednesday, Monica Smith, a current realtor and 7th-degree black belt, taught a class on self-defense for realtors in Pulaski County.
"We're gonna be bloody, bruised, and hurting," Smith said. "But we're gonna go home."
Every punch, kick, or hit to the face can be a determining factor in staying alive while on the job.
"Being proactive is the best self-defense we can do for ourselves," Smith said. "Being aware of our surroundings and knowing who was around us."
Smith said she knows realtors' adversities when hosting open houses, showing property, or when someone is interested in a home.
"Being a realtor, we put ourselves in some uncertain predicaments," Smith said. "We need to be prepared to take care of ourselves if the situation arises."
Sept. 25 marks the ninth anniversary of Beverly Carter, a former Arkansas realtor, being kidnapped and killed in 2014 while showing a home.
"It shocked the entire nation," North Pulaski Board of Realtors member Brianna Keysacker said. "It opened everyone's eyes in the realtor community to just how important safety is."
Keysacker said when it comes to safety, it's not just a physical game, but also a mental one.
"It's about looking around [and] taking three seconds to see where the first exit is," Keysacker said. "If you're gonna do an open house, invite a lender or another affiliate to come with you because it's not only another person to have your back, but it's also another person to have four new people walking in the door that you might be a good point of contact for them."
Smith said it never hurts to get ahead and be proactive so no one else ever falls victim again.
"We have a reason to go home, so when confronted in that situation, we have to fight back," Smith said.