Self-Defense Training to Reduce the Fear of Violence Among Women and Girls

Abstract

Community contributes to the experience of fear and risk of violence within a girl’s and woman’s lived reality. Girls and women also try to navigate an internalized gendered body discourse that deems them not capable of self-protection. The purpose of this research was twofold. First, this research describes self-defense in navigating gender violence expectations in their daily lives to fill the gap in self-defense literature for women's self-empowerment. Second to begin understanding how empowered self-defense could address the fear of high-risk environments and increase confidence. The study took place in Tijuana, Mexico, in 2017. The post-self-defense seminar questionnaires indicated that all the women understood the risk of violence and the types of violence encountered. Ninety-eight percent of the participants stated they would use real-life techniques in potential confrontations. This improved capability of using techniques can reduce perceived fear of violence by this group of women and girls in Tijuana, Mexico.