There are a lot of common myths and misconceptions regarding self-defense and personal safety, and we want to help you find the truth. Many of these misconceptions were formed from misinformation, old information, or socialization. Not all are formed from malice, but some are. So we’re here to help you navigate through some of the more common myths and misconceptions.
This week’s misconception:
There is no difference between how women and men are attacked.
People perceived as men and people perceived as women are attacked differently. People perceived as men are primarily attacked in a territorial-type of assault. They face each other, square off, exchange blows and usually don’t have practical fighting experience. They are targeted over perceived slights and bruised egos. These territorial/ego fights could be over partners (or potential partners), objects, or insults.
People perceived as women are primarily attacked in a predatory-type of assault. They’re often surprised, grabbed from behind, and thrown to the ground. If they are LGBTQ+ and/or BIPOC, they are often viciously verbally attacked, which is why we call them hate crimes. So, not only are men and women attacked differently, but all marginalized people deal with violence because of who they are or how they identify. People who attack marginalized people are not expecting a fight as they usually view them as weaker or lesser. We all know that this is not true. Anyone is capable of defending themselves. We teach everyone how to defend themselves against all types of attacks, both physical and verbal.
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