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| Mona MacDonald, Lioness Martial Arts |
By contrast, Empowerment Self-Defense (ESD) is designed for
everyone. The skills are accessible to people of all abilities, and they’re
designed to keep us safe in everyday situations, not just in violent ones.
Consider some of the many ways our safety and wellbeing may be threatened –
harassment, bullying, boundary violations, unwanted attention, sexual coercion,
emotional abuse, physical assault.
ESD students learn a range of skills and strategies — giving
them a range of options — to successfully deal with different kinds of unwanted
situations. Students are empowered to choose for themselves what actions will
be best for them in whatever
situation they face. Students take home many tools from ESD classes including:
Knowledge
Accurate information increases our understanding of violence
and our ability to assess safety risks and possible actions. In ESD classes, we
address threats to personal safety, the many forms of violence in our culture,
and how gender socialization, racism and classism impact safety. Common myths
and misperceptions about violence and perpetrators are also dispelled using
current research and statistics.
Awareness Skills
In addition to being mindful of the external environment and
assessing the situation they are in, ESD students learn to understand and trust
their intuitive feelings. Reading body language, recognizing when boundaries
are being ignored or challenged, and projecting confidence are some of the
skills students learn to use in their daily lives to help stay safe and in
control.
Voice
One of the most powerful and versatile safety tools we have
is our voice. In ESD classes, students learn to use their voices to stop or
interrupt unwanted and potentially dangerous behavior. Skills include de-escalation,
setting and defending boundaries, speaking assertively and YELLING. Students
also use their voices to add power to their physical techniques.
Physical Skills
ESD teaches fighting as a last resort. The goal is to
respond with sufficient force to get away to safety (rather than prolonging the
fight to win or to punish). Students learn simple but effective physical
skills, targeting the most vulnerable points on an assailant’s body. Unlike
martial arts techniques, these skills do not require years of study and
practice; instead, they are fairly easy to learn in a limited amount of time.
Resources for Healing
and Support
ESD instructors can be a valuable source of information and
referral to those seeking help with personal safety and trauma recovery. Students
are provided current information about organizations and services available in
their local communities such as hotlines, crisis centers and shelters.
Mona McDonald
Lioness Martial Arts
NWMAF certified self-defense instructor
Member of ESD Global Incubator
From Mona's presentation for an ESD Global webinar organized by IMPACT Chicago Instructor Martha Thompson: "Three Reasons for Feminists to Advocate for Empowerment Self-Defense." Mona addressed Reason #1: ESD Works to Stop Sexual Violence. Thank you to producer Yudit Sidikman. Look for an ESD-related blog the last Monday of each month.
From Mona's presentation for an ESD Global webinar organized by IMPACT Chicago Instructor Martha Thompson: "Three Reasons for Feminists to Advocate for Empowerment Self-Defense." Mona addressed Reason #1: ESD Works to Stop Sexual Violence. Thank you to producer Yudit Sidikman. Look for an ESD-related blog the last Monday of each month.
