Self-defense has not received the attention it deserves especially in a country like India where the number of attacks increase daily. Women are more vulnerable to gender violence and sexual harassment. The most common forms of attack in India are rape, kidnapping, murder and molestation. Acid attacks have become rampant. Eve teasing is also regrettably quite common in public places.
Though the major responsibility of reform lies on educating the men in the society to treat women with respect and as equals, girls and women can try to safeguard themselves in case something unfortunate was to happen. That is why knowing simple self-defense techniques are the need of the hour.
The Vedant Foundation conducts Self-Defense Trainings free of cost for girls in government schools. We have successfully conducted more than 50 trainings over the years. Our trainer has received advanced level training from the President of the Martial Art Association. The session is conducted with a focus on discipline so that the adolescent girls understand the gravity of the situation. We clarify that self-defense is not to be treated as a game because it can be a matter of life and death. A booklet with images of the various defense positions is also given to them to take home for their future reference.
In the training, we teach the girls several simple techniques depending on the nature of the attack and the position of the attacker. We train them to target body parts of the attacker which are more vulnerable such as the eyes, ears, chin etc. The goal is not to stay and continue fighting, rather it is to defend and attack to get away from an attacker to find help. While this doesn’t guarantee safety, it does reduce the risk exponentially in an attack.
Attacks can be fatal and survival may depend on the ability of the victim to defend themselves. Learning self-defence from a professional will give these girls the ability to use their hands and feet with a certain swiftness and emerge unscathed from an undesirable situation. Being prepared can help ease a lot of mental stress.
Self-defense also builds confidence in girls and women. Learning the skill, technique, and form to successfully defend themselves in a self-defense situation shows them that they are strong, capable and worthy. They get a boost of self-confidence to face any injustice in society. When they learn that they can free themselves from an attacker irrespective of his size, they feel empowered.
Self-defense training also cultivates discipline and focus. It requires each participant to think on their feet and be agile in the face of danger. Learning any form of martial art enhances self-discipline. It teaches you to set goals, focus your mental and emotional energies, become physically fit, and to get along well with others. Every woman should know self-defense not just for defending themselves, but to instil confidence, and to apply daily discipline to their lives.
As a society, we have created an image of women to be delicate and cared for by others. However, given the situation of the attacks on women, we as a society need to start teaching them that they are as brave and strong from an early age. We need to remind them of the power they possess as women and creators of life in this world.
We hope to conduct these trainings in as many more remote villages, towns for maximum impact. Knowing that this training can potentially help save lives makes us even more determined to spread it far and wide. Our ultimate goal is to change the statistics of attacks on women. We want to assist them in transforming from helpless victims to fierce warriors.