Earlier this year, the BBC published a very sobering article about violence against women. Five years on from the murders of Sarah Everard and Sabina Nessa, horrific incidents that many hoped would act as a catalyst for change, we are still waiting for anything tangible to happen.

It’s not just the fear of being attacked on the street or in a park. Violence in the home accounts for many attacks on women, and recently released official figures show an increase in the number of victims of domestic abuse who commit suicide. Those figures also indicate a worrying trend towards younger women being subjected to abuse, and links are being made to how easy it is for people to access extreme pornography. Violence against women is being normalised – it must stop.

The government is introducing a range of measures to support female victims of violence, to stop abuse and prevent the radicalisation of young men. However, what’s really needed is systemic change and substantially more funding. In the meantime, charities and community groups do what they can with limited resources to support vulnerable females.

Self-defence training makes a difference

We support Your Sanctuary, a local organisation that supports victims of domestic abuse, so we’ve seen how women, who have lost everything by leaving an abusive relationship, are helped to rebuild their lives. And, knowing that early education is key, we work with schools and youth organisations such as Girlguiding to deliver engaging workshops focused on recognising danger and embracing the right to say ‘no’. Girls want to feel safe, and we agree that self-defence should be part of the school curriculum.

Learning to manage fear

At Krav Generation our self-defence training helps women and girls feel safer, more confident and more resilient. We use realistic, scenario-based situations to develop skills that are effective in the face of danger, including situational awareness and verbal and non-verbal communication to de-escalate situations.

Self-defence is not simply about learning physical techniques. At Krav Generation we develop the whole person by working on self-belief and mental resilience. Students learn to listen to their ‘inner alarm’, that instinctive feeling that something doesn’t feel right. And we work on training the brain to focus on survival rather than allowing fear to take over and panic set in.

It doesn’t matter how young or old you are. It doesn’t matter how fit you are. Our classes are fully inclusive – individuals may walk through the door, but they become part of a safe and supportive community.

Want to find out more about self-defence?

Alongside our weekly classes, we run female-friendly self-defence workshops and 1-2-1 private classes. If you’d like to find out more or join us for a free taster session, just get in touch!