Top 5 Reasons to Learn Self Defense
As a single woman moving through the world, I am too often confronted by the harsh reality that I must be careful to consider where it is safe to be, and at what times it is safe to be somewhere. It is a sad fact of our society that there are people who believe (thankfully, these people are in the minority) that people who commit violence against others (and against other women in particular) do so because they were provoked; because they were whipped into such a frenzy by the behaviour, dress or speech of a person, that they had no choice but to molest or attack him or her. Obviously, this is an incredibly flawed pattern of thinking. It takes the responsibility of the attack away from the attacker and places it squarely on the person who was attacked.
Obviously, this kind of thinking has to shift over time, and there is plenty of encouraging evidence to suggest that this is happening, albeit slowly. It is also well and good to speak about this sort of disparity, but a while ago I chose to do something about this kind of societal helplessness. I began to learn krav maga in Melbourne. Why, you might ask? I was aware that I was less safe due to my gender and basically, I didn’t want to be unable to defend myself. As a society, we would hope that the law, our partner, our family and our friends could protect us, and keep us safe, but time and time again this is not happening. I know that taking self defense classes isn’t going to change society, but it’s going to do a whole lot for your ability to fight your own fight, and that in and of itself is hugely valuable.
I must note here that violence should always, always be a last resort for anyone – and only when you are being physically threatened. That said, I feel far safer knowing that I know how to struggle free, or how to impact maximum damage if I were ever to be in a difficult situation.
- Crime can happen to anyone
I don’t live in a fantasy world where horrible things happen to other people. At some point in your life, you or someone you know will experience sexual violence or assault. At present, one in five Australian women have experienced sexual violence, and one in three have experienced physical violence. The statistics don’t lie. If it ever happens to you, you won’t want to be vulnerable.
- Be a great role model
If you’re telling your daughters that they can be anything they want, then how about reassuring them that they can be safe? By learning a self defense art, you’re taking an active role in your own safety, and in knowing how to protect yourself. This kind of thing is incredibly powerful for the young women in your life as well, because not only will self defense show them that they have the power in their own bodies to fight for themselves, but it gives confidence, too.
- Be empowered
Many women can take a great deal away from self defense classes – whether they’re survivors of attacks previously, or just wanting to get ahead. A self defense course on its own isn’t going to empower you directly, but it will show you what you’re capable of, and will show you who’s in control of your life.
- It’s a form of life insurance
Hopefully it will never come down to you having to use your self defense training to save your own life, but far better to know how to use it than to get into a horrible situation without any way out.
- Do it for your friends and family
You have friends and family who love you, and who would be devastated if you were attacked – far better for them to know that you know how to take care of yourself, than to be harmed in an attack that you might have fought out of.
You have the power to empower yourself, so step out of your shell and do it today.
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