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	The Gentle Warrior Women's Self Defense Approximately 1 in 3 women will be sexually and/or physically assaulted in their lifetime (1). Despite this shocking statistic, gender-based violence remains a poorly examined and taboo topic. In 2008, the National Institutes of Health in the USA spent $5.57 billion on cancer research and $2.03 billion on cardiovascular research. Yet, research on violence against women received just $45 million and youth violence: $115 million. Research into preventing youth violence received "N/A" (3). This, despite the fact that the odds of being diagnosed with cancer (1 in 7) are about half the odds of being assaulted. No wonder fewer than 10% of sexual assaults are reported to the police (2) - it is an unrecognized, unappreciated, systemic problem. I am determined to change that by raising awareness of the issue and by helping women reduce the risk. I have been addressing gender-based violence as a martial artist and a psychologist for over 10 years. My psychological research has clearly indicated the emotional impact of gender-based violence. Approximately 80% of female psychiatric inpatients report a history of physical or sexual abuse and 60% of women receiving treatment for drug and alcohol use are survivors of sexual violence (4). Further, intimate partner victimization results in 18.5 million mental health care visits each year (5). Many of the women I have taught martial arts to report being assaulted at some point in their lives, and have sought training to prevent it from happening again. Through these experiences, I have come to realize that both the formal education system and the martial arts world have failed women. The key is to prevent violence before it occurs. Through education, awareness, open discussion, and a focus on relationship dynamics, I strongly believe that women can avoid most assaults. For example, up to 75% of sexual assaults are perpetrated by a friend or acquaintance to the victim (2). This means that the vast majority of self-defense training most women receive, either through martial arts studios or defense-specific institutes, is focused on warding off the minority of attacks perpetrated by the stranger on the street. What is needed is a self-defense system grounded in the reality of intimate partner violence and how to avoid unhealthy relationships. By monitoring thoughts, feelings, and reactions to our environment and those around us, we can forge a healthy interpersonal pathway. I have also come to realize that most women want to learn how to improve their safety without having to become a "hardened" fighter or undergoing years of martial training. This is why I developed the concept of the Gentle Warrior for women's self defense. By adhering to Eastern philosophies of flow, balance, karma, and positive thinking/meditation and Western psychological principles such as attachment theory, social learning theory, power and control, and emotion-attention interaction, women can learn to reduce their risk and how to ward of an attacker through, principally, prevention, and, as a very last resort, humane defense techniques. The goal is to increase awareness of how our own minds work and how we react to others, and what that means for forging healthy intimate relationships, which reduces the likelihood of violence. The introductory course is conducted across five 1.5-hour sessions and is held at various locations across the greater Toronto area. Alternate courses are offered for girls (ages 7-11) , teens (ages 12-17) , and women (18+). A Mother-daughter courses is also offered. I also conduct free group presentations and seminars to get the word out and to get people talking. Together we can lift the veil of silence on gender violence! For more information on where and when the next course will be offered or to set up a course, please contact Dr. Randall Waechter at effectivedefense@gmail.com or 416-834-7400. Namaste, Randy Waechter, PhD (1) Sexual assault centre of Hamilton, Sexual Assault and Relationship Abuse Centre, Stanford University (http://www.stanford.edu/group/svab/myths.shtml) (2) Statistics Canada, 2006 (3) http://report.nih.gov/rcdc/categories/ (4) Jane Tweed, Substance Treatment Centre (5) US Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs and Office for Victims of Crime
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