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My first exposure to "self-defense" was in a women's karate class in 1978. Not knowing what to expect, I tagged along
with several co-workers. I went partly out of curiosity and partly for adventure. But when I look back, I realize that something
deep in my being must have also drawn me to that first class because I've continued to participate over the years in the martial
arts and the movement to end assaults against women, children and other groups targeted for violence.
My commitment
to women's self-defense and martial arts practice (now centered on kungfu, taiji and qigong) led me down separate paths. The
cultural context of my martial art is important to me and its practice continues to enrich my life in many ways. One benefit
is that it has made me a better self-defense teacher. However, the foundation of my self-defense programs for women is not
about martial arts.
In 1979, several members of my first karate class (including myself) started FIST (Feminists In
Self-defense Training) in Olympia, WA because we wanted greater freedom to develop programs accessible to larger numbers of
women. Martial art training was costly, time consuming and unrealistic for many. Its emphasis on physical skills did not apply
to the full scope of violence women faced. Many women did not feel that it met their needs for prevention and avoidance.
FIST
was founded on the belief that women of all ages, sizes, physical abilities, and cultural and economic backgrounds, have the
right and ability to defend themselves successfully. Its programs differed from most self-defense programs by being based
on women's experiences with violence, learning self-defense, and resisting assault successfully. They empowered women to trust
their instincts and use their abilities.
In FIST's classes, we consistently found that most women, including ourselves,
have encountered some form of violence in our lives and most have stories to tell about successful escapes. Women shared a
wide range of strategies that worked for them. The testimonials and generalizations about women in my book come from my experience
and that of other FIST teachers working with women on assault prevention. I wish all women could be in my place to hear all
the stories women tell because I am sure that then, women would share my conviction that we are all capable of defending ourselves
with success.
Adapted from the introduction of Self-defense: the Womanly Art of Self-care, Intuition and Choice by Debbie Leung
For a copy of Self-Defense: The Womanly Art of Self-Care, Intuition, and Choice, visit
The Book
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