Awareness Isn’t Enough Anymore
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. You’ll see the posts. The stats. The hashtags. And while awareness matters… it doesn’t always translate into action.
Because the reality is this:
In the United States,
about 1 in 5 women will experience attempted or completed rape in their lifetime
nearly 1 in 2 will experience some form of sexual violence
and over 1 in 3 will experience violence from an intimate partner
These aren’t rare, isolated incidents. They are part of everyday life for millions of women.
And oftentimes, the threat isn’t coming from a stranger in a dark alley. It’s someone they know.
And if I’m being honest… this part frustrates me
If you know anything about me, I’m not an emotional or reactive person. I like to think I’m generally calm and collected, even under stress.
But as a Krav Maga instructor – and as a woman – I’m frustrated.
Daily.
I’m frustrated at the violence. The statistics. The lack of awareness around how important self-defense training actually is.
And the things I hear all the time:
“It could never happen to me.”
“I live in a safe neighborhood.”
“I’d rather spend my time doing something else.”
“What’s the point in training, men are stronger and women don’t have a fighting chance.” <—- This one pisses me off the most and I see and hear comments like this all the time.
These don’t make you safer. They just make you unprepared.
What I’ve actually learned in 10 years of training
Here’s the part people don’t expect:
You’re not just memorizing techniques. You’re conditioning yourself for something you hope never happens – but are ready for if it does.
You’re:
building real confidence
improving your fitness
learning how to manage stress under pressure
getting some much-needed therapy (whether you realize it or not)
and becoming part of one of the most supportive communities you might ever find
That’s the part that keeps people coming back. And it’s also the part that quietly changes how you carry yourself in the world.
If you’ve been thinking about it, this is your sign
Whether it’s for you, your partner, your daughter, or your friend… There is real value in learning how to protect yourself. Not someday. NOW.
Because awareness is where it starts. But action is what actually changes things.
Sources:
https://www.nsvrc.org/statistics/statistics-depth/
https://www.cdc.gov/sexual-violence/about/index.html
https://www.cdc.gov/intimate-partner-violence/about/index.html
https://www.cdc.gov/sexual-violence/about/index.html