Women's Self Defence
VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN: KEY STATISTICS
Research from the 2012 ABS Personal Safety Survey and Australian Institute of Criminology shows that both men and women in Australia experience substantial levels of violence.
Domestic and sexual violence is overwhelmingly committed by men against women. 89 women were killed by their current or former partner between 2008-10. This equates to nearly ONE WOMAN EVERY WEEK.
Australian women are most likely to experience physical and sexual violence in their home, at the hands of a male current or ex-partner.
RATES OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND MEN SINCE THE AGE OF 15:
- 1 in 5 Australian women had experienced sexual violence
- 1 in 6 Australian women had experienced physical or sexual violence from a current or former partner
- 1 in 4 Australian women had experienced emotional abuse by a current or former partner
- 1 in 3 Australian women had experienced physical violence
"Over the 37yrs I have been involved in the martial arts I have witnessed over and again the powerful impact it has had on so many women and girls, myself and my own daughter included. We live in our bodies and our emotions are expressed though our bodies. Martial arts is a way to get to know our bodies, understand our emotions and come to know ourselves more fully, thereby gaining self confidence, self control, self awareness and to unlock the real potential to be powerfully in control of our lives. Training in martial arts helps raise a woman's awareness of a dangerous relationship or environment that can lead to harm, it can empower women to make choices that keep them safer and that empowerment can even help a women recover from the devastating affects of violence in her life.”
Kyoshi Liz Mahler, founder and Master Teacher Black Belt Martial Arts
Our objectives in teaching women and girls martial arts at BBMA
- To teach a better awareness of your own body, attitudes, emotions and response patterns to stress.
- To teach you to feel strong in your own body; being allowed to and having the courage to have confidence in yourself and your power.
- To provide opportunity to experience your power, and direct it from a calm centre
- To teach you how to convert your power into actions, especially in “paralysing” situations such as physical of emotional violence.
- To help you to tie your mental strength to a true “inner” physical sense of strength
- To help you be able to deal with stressful situations without losing contact with your true self and what is safe and healthy for you.
- To teach you how to sense and experience your own personal space, to have the courage to take that space, and defend it if necessary.