Quiet Power

In a Ted Talk “Quiet Power,” Kate Webster of Breaking Through Barriers explains and illustrates a fusion of verbal and non-verbal communication that is neither passive nor aggressive but an authentic means of communication.

Let’s Raise the Capacity for Support as We Raise Awareness

In “Rape’s Long Shadow: Dealing with the Personal Costs of Sexual Assault,” Bielski highlights the personal costs of rape with particular attention to the negative consequences of others ‘ disbelieving, dismissing, or demonizing someone who has been raped. In addition to increasing awareness, individuals and organizations need to offer support as rape victims come forward with their stories.

Dr. Ruthless Says Setting Boundaries is a Girl’s Best Friend

Dr. Ruthless (aka Melissa Soalt) is a women’s self-defense instructor, a Black Hall of Fame recipient, and former trauma psychotherapist. She lives her reputation as “fresh, fierce, and unabashedly funny.”

Melissa’s latest blog on Find Your Fierce is “Setting Boundaries Is a Girl’s Best Friend.” She says setting and defending your boundaries is the key to staying safe.

Real Estate Agent Listened to Her Intuition

The Tampa Tribune reports on the arrest of a man who was targeting real estate agents for rape and robbery.

Two real estate agents—in separate incidents-- used their wits to defend themselves. One realtor listened to her intuition and did not enter the house with the man but let him look around on this own. He attacked a second realtor but ran when she told him that the homeowners would be there any minute. The first realtor realized it was the same man when she heard about the attack on the other realtor.

Thanks to Strategic Living for the information.

Creating Safer Spaces in IMPACT

IMPACT participants often tell us that our programs feel “safe” even though a focus of the course is defending oneself in realistic attack scenarios. Our programs are an example of empowerment self-defense practices which include a commitment to creating safer spaces.
A safer place is where each participant

• is treated as an important part of the classroom community and members of marginalized groups do not face mainstream stereotypes or are marginalized
• can freely and fully participate 

• is welcomed regardless of gender identity or expression, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, cultural background, religious affiliation, age, or physical or mental ability
• is treated with respect and dignity.

Elements of a safer self-defense training space

·         Introductions of instructors establish competence and compassion, such as  providing information, word choices, and storytelling to convey:

ü  Skills to teach self-defense

ü  Classroom management skills

ü  Ability to support a range of emotions and issues that may arise

ü  Flexibility

ü  Compassion for and acceptance of others

·         Ground rules that make expectations public and clear, such as

ü  Confidentiality

ü  Treat self and others with respect

ü  This is a community where no one is isolated, told what to do ignored or judged

ü  Being fully present

ü  Active and nonjudgmental listening

·         Introductions of participants establish that we are creating a community that supports each person having a voice and choices about how to express themselves within specific guidelines, such as participants:

ü  have options and choices about how to present themselves, not a free-for-all or no options

ü  have options and avenues about how to express their concerns

ü  are asked to speak from one’s own experience, not expressing their opinions (serial testimony)

·         Establish violence as a social issue, not an individual problem, such as

ü  Reference to ways that cultural values and norms support violence, inequalities in experiences of violence and responses to self-defense

ü  Making it clear that responsibility for violence is the responsibility of perpetrators and those who ignore it; not the responsibility of targets of violence

ü  Making it clear that there are no absolutes or formulas for self-defense or only one way to respond to any situation because violence arises in a social context and people are targeted differently as are their efforts at self-defense

ü  People will not be blamed or belittled for choices they have made or will make

Martha Thompson & Alena Schaim
2015 NWMAF Empowerment Self-Defense Model Course

The Power of Presence

In “The Power of Presence,” Silke Schultz explores different meanings of presence and how it relates to self-defense, empowerment, and becoming agents of social change. Read more at the Touchstones of Empowerment.

Healing from Oppression

In “The Socialization Process of Oppression and How to Heal from It,” Two Cranes explores ways that shame, stigma, and silence are produced through socialization.  Ways to transcend these harmful dynamics: 

• Connection transcends shame 
• Speaking out transcends silence
• Unconditional acceptance transcends stigma
• Reclaiming ourselves transcends negative socialization

For more details, check out the blog post on Equality is Coming