IMPACT Self-Defense and Counseling: An Effective Collaboration

The Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) ofMontclair University and Prepare Inc which offers IMPACT in the greater New York area have developed an effective collaboration for students who have experienced sexual violence. At the IMPACT International Directors Meeting in New York City in August, researchers and staff psychologists Lisa Weinberg and Jennifer Vogel-Davis reported that 22% of the students who come for counseling at Montclair University have experienced sexual violence and 33% have experienced harassment, abuse, or controlling behaviors.  In an innovative program, CAPS and Prepare offer “Self-Defense Training/Group Counseling for Women” each fall. Based on a pretest, posttest, and 5 month follow-up, Weinberg and Vogel-Davis have found that participants report a decrease in PTSD symptoms and increases in interpersonal and self-defense self-efficacy. This combination of counseling and self-defense training has increased the retention rates of college students with a history of sexual trauma.

Stopping Rape: IMPACT Chicago Instructors Reflect on Anti-Rape Underwear

The internet is abuzz with news and reactions to a new product: anti-rape underwear. Two designers put their concerns for women’s safety into an underwear design that prevents a rapist from being able to remove a woman’s underwear and raised the funds to start production. 

Is anti-rape underwear for you? The situations people encounter are so varied that we suggest the following criteria to help you assess the effectiveness of any tool, not just anti-rape underwear, for preventing, minimizing, or stopping rape.

1.      Can you access the tool any time you need it, do you know how to use it, and are you willing to use it?

At IMPACT Chicago, we focus on encouraging people to learn to use their own bodies for keeping themselves safe but we do not discourage people from using any tool that increases their feelings of confidence. Instructor Rob Babcock says, “if a weapon (e.g. pepper spray) or wearing particular clothing  makes you more confident (and is legal), then by all means go for it because we know that projecting confidence is a key self-defense tool.” 

Instructor Margaret Vimont says that the effectiveness of any tool (including our own voice, hands, feet, and legs) depends upon “having it available, knowing how to use it, and a willingness to use it.” We extend that recommendation to anti-rape underwear—just like compliance, mace or an elbow strike, for anti-rape underwear to be a viable option to reduce, minimize, or interrupt rape, you have to have it available, know how to use it, and be willing to use it.  

Anti-rape underwear was developed to increase women’s safety in the bar scene. Given that the majority of perpetrators know the women they rape (78%) and are more likely to rape a woman in her own home or the home of someone known to the victim (67%), it seems unlikely that anti-rape underwear will be an effective tool for most women.

2.      Do you have other tools available if one tool is not effective for a particular situation?

We encourage people to have many tools and to choose tools mindfully. Instructor Mark Nessel says, “No matter how effective a tool can potentially be, we recommend you minimize your risks by maintaining awareness and using your judgment skills. No single tool is going to work for every situation. If you are going into a situation where your awareness and judgment are likely to be impaired (e.g. drinking or drugs) and you are relying on only one tool (e.g. anti-rape underwear, pepper spray, or a knee to the groin),  then you are at greater risk than when your awareness and judgment are unimpaired and you have a range of tools in your toolbox.”

Instructor Nat Wilson says: “At first glance, I thought anti-rape underwear was ridiculous; it looks uncomfortable and reminds me of the chastity belt of yore. From an attacker’s perspective, it would not deter attacks in some situations, however, it could in others. For instance it might deter an attack where 1) the attacker is easily discouraged by complications or 2) the woman would be able to escape or fight back if given a little more time to act. So though anti-rape underwear would not be something we would incorporate into our self-defense courses, I would avoid saying that it would never work to stop rape.”

So, even if anti-rape underwear is useful in some circumstances, we would recommend that women have other tools available to them so that they are not solely reliant upon it.

3.      Does the tool enhance your feelings of self-worth and empowerment?

Another consideration is whether or not a tool enhances or restricts an individual’s sense of empowerment.  Instructor Molly Norris emphasizes the importance of having a variety of tools to underscore the message that you are worth protecting: “In IMPACT we emphasize using your awareness, leaving situations, and your voice to avoiding physical altercations if you can, but knowing your body can be there for you if you are in danger adds much weight to the message that you are worth taking care of.”

Instructor Katie Skibbe asks people to consider: “Even though anti-rape underwear might enhance some women’s feeling of safety, how might unlocking one’s underwear to go to the bathroom or to engage in consensual sex affect women’s feelings of strength and empowerment? How might such underwear reinforce the idea that women are second-class citizens? I believe the most effective tools are those that increase your feelings of strength and empowerment.” 

In conclusion, IMPACT Chicago encourages people to assess all tools—whether ones you have within you or those external to you—do you have it available at all times and are you willing to use it? Do you have more than one tool? Do the tools you have—whether or not you need to use them--enhance your feelings of self-worth and empowerment?

Martha Thompson, IMPACT Chicago Senior Instructor

Thanks to feedback from Rob Babcock, Karen Chasen, Brett Stockdill, and Nat Wilson.

Choosing an Effective Self-defense Course for Middle School and Teen Girls

Are you looking for an effective self-defense course for your middle school or teen daughter, niece, sister, or other loved one? All self-defense programs are different. To find the best one for a young woman in your life, find out how a particular program stacks up by observing a course and assessing it for yourself.


Do instructors demonstrate sensitivity to participants?

Do instructors project calmness and centeredness, offer clear instructions & guidelines, use positive & non-judgmental language, project compassion for each girl, demonstrate patience & competence and project confidence in the participants & a commitment to their success?


Is a supportive and emotionally safe environment created for the participants?

Do instructors establish ground rules for expected behavior in the class (e.g. treating others with respect)? Do instructors give participants a chance to introduce themselves? Are calming and centering techniques taught? Are limits placed and maintained on who can come into the class (e.g. are minimum and maximum age limits established)?


Is a physically safe environment created for the participants?

Are participants asked to identify injured or vulnerable areas to reduce chance of re-injury? Are participants given guidelines in how to use their bodies safely and powerfully? Do instructors guide participants through warm-up exercises? Do instructors pay attention to creating a safe physical space: such as, free from obstruction, safe distance between participants when practicing, access to water and bathrooms, privacy from onlookers, monitored entrance? If offered as a padded-attacker course, does the padding allow participants to use full-power strikes to vulnerable areas (e.g. groin and head) ? For instance, some programs use padding that provides protection from “controlled” strikes and/or allows strikes to the chest or abdomen but not the groin. This kind of padding is inadequate for teaching girls to defend themselves with full power against vulnerable targets.



Do the instructors have a clear pedagogical approach and well-organized class plan?

For instance, do the instructors set a beginning and ending time? Do they have a plan for teaching whereby one thing builds on another? Do they have an opening and closing to the class? Do instructors demonstrate tools and skills slowly so that participants can see what is happening, use clear and measured language and body movement to teach tools and skills and give participants an opportunity to practice and receive constructive feedback? Do instructors create the opportunity for participants to ask questions?


Do participants learn and practice more than physical techniques?

For instance, do instructors offer a big picture of safety issues for girls and self-defense and teach self and environmental awareness, assessment skills, verbal boundary setting, de-escalation and physical tools?



Do instructors demonstrate an understanding of the challenges faced by pre-teens and teens?

For instance, do instructors offer recommendations that are consistent with self-defense laws and with advice by advocacy groups, schools and service providers? Do instructors use language that emphasizes getting to safety, rather than expressing revenge or hatred?



Are instructors certified women’s self-defense instructors?

Are the instructors certified by a nationally recognized women’s self-defense organization, such as the National Women’s Martial Arts Federation Self-Defense Group or IMPACT International? Do the instructors have professional knowledge concerning violence against girls?



Developed by Martha Thompson, IMPACT Chicago Instructor, with input from Jennifer Caruso and Elizabeth Vitell, Rogers Park Community Council. For recommended philosophical underpinnings and FAQs about women’s self-defense, refer to the National Coalition Against Sexual Assault Guidelines for Choosing a Self-Defense course 

June 2013

Criteria for an Effective Self-Defense Program and How IMPACT Stacks up

1. Do instructors demonstrate sensitivity to people who have experienced violence? Do instructors project calmness and centeredness, offer clear instructions and guidelines, use positive an non-judgmental language, project compassion for each person, demonstrate patience and competence, project confidence in the participants and a commitment to their success?

Led by a highly trained female instructor, our instructor team is sensitive to abuse and related issues. Our female instructors take responsibility for the overall climate of the course with support from suited instructors and class assistants. While our techniques have been rigorously developed, our instructors see the psychological well-being of the women in the course as the first and foremost issue which is given consideration at every step of our ongoing program development efforts. We view positive non-judgmental feedback and modeling as two important and frequently used training tools. Our step-by- step process of developing skills and confidence allows women to build on prior successes. Women come to the course with various backgrounds and we have no expectations that all will be at the same place at the same time. In fact, quite the opposite, we expect women to experience aspects of the course in their own way. In all cases, our instructors are compassionate and accepting of participants.

2. Is a supportive and emotionally safe environment created for the participants? Do instructors establish ground rules for expected behavior in the class (e.g. treating others with respect)? Do instructors give participants a chance to introduce themselves? Are calming and centering techniques taught? Are limits placed and maintained on who can come into the class (e.g. are minimum age limits established)?

Our ground rules include confidentiality, active listening, avoiding interruptions, and treating each other with respect. IMPACT instructors offer a physically safe and emotionally supportive environment, which allows students to increase self-confidence and skills and enhance their sense of personal power.

We have an enrollment limit of 16 women per Core Program. The enrollment limit for other courses varies.

Because of the emotionally charged nature of the Core Program, IMPACT strongly recommends that women who have experienced sexual assault or relationship violence wait to take IMPACT for at least six months from the last attack. Most women who have been recently assaulted are still working through the trauma of the assault, and the simulated scenarios can stimulate flashbacks of the real-life assault, delaying emotional healing. We highly recommend that anyone who has been assaulted and is contemplating taking our program consult a therapist before registering. This training is not meant to substitute for therapy.

We do not recommend the Core Program for women who are pregnant. If a woman becomes pregnant during the course, we strongly urge her to discontinue her participation in the course. We have workshops that she would be welcome to attend. She may re-take the course within a five-year period

without any additional fees.

3. Is a physically safe environment created for the participants? Are participants asked to identify

injured or vulnerable areas to reduce chance of re-injury? Are participants given guidelines in how to use their bodies safely and powerfully? Do instructors guide participants through warm-up exercises?

Do instructors pay attention to creating a safe physical space, such as free from obstruction, safe distance between participants when practicing, access to water and bathrooms, privacy from onlookers, monitored entrance so that an abuser cannot enter the building?

Physical safety of participants is a high priority for IMPACT.

Our warm up routine is a part of every program involving physical work.

In terms of injuries, in each course, one instructor is the designated lead to make sure any injury is handled properly and efficiently. We strongly urge women who have chronic conditions to inform instructors of the condition, the whereabouts of any needed medication, and the directions on how to help her meet her needs.

Any injured or vulnerable area is marked and the instructors are always reminded of this injury prior to any physical work. The equipment worn by the suited instructors is the result of over 25 years of design work by a mechanical engineer to ensure the safety of our participants and instructors.

Our spaces are safe, private, and minimize the presence of onlookers. In many of our locations, the entrance to our space is monitored outside of the room. When there is not a monitor, assistants and instructors immediately deal with people who (typically inadvertently) enter the space.

4. Do the instructors have a clear pedagogical approach and well-organized class plan? For instance, do the instructors set a beginning and ending time with an opening and closing to the class? Do they have a plan for teaching whereby one thing builds on another? Do instructors demonstrate tools and skills slowly so that participants can see what is happening, use clear and measured language and body movement to teach tools and skills, give participants an opportunity to practice and receive constructive feedback? Do instructors create the opportunity for questions?

IMPACT has a clear pedagogical approach that undergoes continual review and refinement. Our courses are well-organized and efficiently run. We begin and end programs on time. Techniques are incrementally learned and paced appropriately. Participants see demonstrations of what they are going to learn and have an opportunity to ask questions. In the Core Program, techniques are learned, practiced in the air, and then practiced in drills with padded strikers and pads. Eventually these same techniques are used in simulated attack scenarios that allow for full-force training. Our simulations include physical and non-physical boundary violations committed by strangers and people we know.

Students are coached by one instructor while another instructor portrays the role of aggressor or assailant. Our instructor team: student ratio in courses involving physical work is at most 1:5 (and often 1:3), allowing constructive feedback to be provided on an individual basis.

5. Do participants learn and practice more than physical techniques? For instance, do instructors offer a big picture of violence and self-defense and teach self and environmental awareness, assessment skills, verbal boundary setting, de-escalation, and physical tools?

IMPACT emphasizes communication strategies such as verbal de-escalation, assertive communication, and boundary-setting skills. We understand the cultural context experienced by our participants with respect to social norms implicitly condoning certain types of abuse and we are committed to reducing violence. We also recognize and address cultural variations in understanding of spatial relationships, eye contact, and verbal engagement.

6. Do instructors demonstrate an understanding of the challenges faced by survivors of violence? For instance, do instructors offer recommendations that are consistent with self-defense laws and with advice by advocacy groups and service providers, such as a safety plan and not carrying weapons? Do instructors use language that emphasizes getting to safety rather than expressing revenge or hatred?

IMPACT training is an important part of a comprehensive strategy to create social change, prevent abuse, and support healing. IMPACT organizations are committed to a broad vision of societal response to violence. We do not advocate any form of revenge or hatred. Our emphasis is on safety and basic principles to prevent an assault, de-escalate potentially dangerous situations, physically stop an attack, and survive and move beyond an attack experience.

7. Are instructors certified women’s self-defense instructors? Are the instructors certified by

a nationally recognized women’s self-defense organization, such as the National Women’s

Martial Arts Federation Self-Defense Group www.nwmaf.org or IMPACT International

www.impactselfdefenseorg? Do the instructors have professional knowledge concerning violence against women and/or professional experience in working with survivors of violence?

IMPACT instructors go through an extensive interview process and background check before beginning training. The training process is lengthy and thorough. IMPACT instructors are certified before they can be the lead instructor or the main suited instructor in a course. Some lead instructors in IMPACT have also gone through the process of receiving additional certification from the National Women’s Martial Arts Federation. IMPACT instructors also continue to do professional development and training to stay abreast of current issues and research in terms of gendered violence and self-defense.

The checklist for choosing a self-defense course was developed by Martha Thompson, Director and Instructor, IMPACT Chicago with input from Jennifer Caruso and Elizabeth Vitell, Rogers Park Community Council. Lisa Amoroso, IMPACT Chicago Board Member, wrote How IMPACT Stacks Up. For recommended philosophical underpinnings and FAQs about women’s self-defense, refer to the National Coalition Against Sexual Assault Guidelines for Choosing a Self-Defense course http://www.karatevid.com/article-SDguidelines.html