417 - Barriers to self preservation: Assertiveness
A women's safety workshop comment and serious issues for trainees (and would be trainers) to consider / Abuse & IPV related content (S.I./A)
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Are there barriers to act and fight to defend yourself and what are they?
I wanted to post a series of things to consider and also, discuss instances where this topic has come up in workshops and will return to the subject in other future posts under this (searchable) “Barriers to self preservation” title.
This essay leads on from a comment I received when I was sharing some drills at a workshop for some local women as an introduction to fighting in the context of escaping sexual assault.
The assumptions, misconceptions and issues that it brings up are profound and apply equally to many men too who decide to pursue training for practical defensive purposes which may be flawed from the outset in terms of reliability in crisis.
It is also an essential awareness point for anyone that would consider venturing into the sometimes murky waters of teaching “self defence” to others.