Category: Empowerment Self-Defense
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Every Day — and March 8 — is a Good Day to Fight for Women’s Rights
It’s March 8, 2023. Between a “voice activation” exercise where we shout “no” at high, higher, and highest volume and a round of practicing palm heel strikes, my phone pings over and over. I’ve received a flood of messages wishing me a “Happy International Women’s Day.” I send back a few emojis without too much…
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Saying Yes to Pleasure: Healing and Connection Through Holistic Self-Defense
Our YES is just as radical as our NO. A body recoiling from an unwanted touch. A jaw locking in shock from a non-consensual kiss. Arms crossed over the chest—an uninvited comment. A forced smile, fake laughter, feigned interest, a counterfeit orgasm. Most women know what it feels like to fake pleasure out of fear—fear…
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The Difference Between Martial Arts and Empowerment Self-Defense
Understanding Holistic Self-Defense I do not teach martial arts! I’m not even a martial artist. I am an instructor certified by ESD Global to teach Empowerment Self-Defense, a violence prevention methodology developed by martial artists with over 40 years of experience. We work with physical techniques derived from various martial arts, assertive communication techniques, and…
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I’m Not “in my Feminine” & you’re Not “in your Masculine”—the Danger of Polarity Speak.
“I really feel you in your masculine right now with this boundary.” A good while ago, a friend said something along those lines when I expressed a boundary to him during an event. It was that “masculine” energy that seemed to drive it home—he knew I was serious. His choice of words nagged me then,…
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Sisterhood paves the way for our safety
Trigger warning: This article discusses topics related to sexual violence. Strong Women: Self-Defense, Sisterhood, Justice, and Personal Safety Learning from Bonobos About Sisterhood and Collective Self-Defense This month, Andrés Picado was finally sentenced to 24 years in prison for crimes committed between 2019 and 2022, including the sexual assault of five foreign women and two…
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Self defense is for you
Empowerment-based self-defense training doesn’t just teach people to say “no” to coercive, manipulative, or explicitly violent attacks. It also facilitates deeply personal and radical growth in self-awareness and self-confidence, strengthening all our relationships to make them safer and healthier.
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Self-Defense is Collaborative
Mission before Competition This year I have seen at least 3 different holistic self-defense retreats going around social media. None of them have been through my project (Choose Empowerment). At another moment of my life, maybe I would have gotten offended… Seeing other people taking “my” thing and making it theirs would have generated some…
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Why We Reject Fear-Based Marketing Strategies
Let’s Elevate Empowerment and Autonomy! On our social media pages, you’ll never see images of men lurking in the shadows, nor will we tell you about the dangers of walking alone at night. We believe most women are already well aware of the realities of gender-based violence.* We don’t need a daily reminder of the…
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Improve your relationships with empowerment self-defense
Understanding the traffic light approach to evaluating risk — & safety. What does self-defense mean to you? Is it just about martial arts strikes and yelling at an attacker? Or is it also about expressing firm boundaries, communicating a “No” without excuses or apologies, and interrupting uncomfortable situations before they become dangerous. Or, is it about improving…
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Yes, I’m Traveling Solo: Self-Defense as a Path to Freedom
Safety is a human right. So is solitude. Solo female travel? That’s not possible. It’s too dangerous. Women shouldn’t do that. You should never travel alone. What if you get kidnapped? Aren’t you scared? Go with someone, a friend, a partner—ideally a man. As a woman, I have heard every argument in the book against going out…
