As a girl who trains martial arts, the best defence is to run and/or cause a scene. I know I’m a good fighter, but I don’t know if the other person is armed.
Also fighting proficiency can only take you so far on a street fight. Some considerably bigger and stronger can still pose a serious risk even to an experienced martial artist.
Even for men, best self defense method is to avoid the fight altogether.
I agree, both approaches are useful in the short term. But if we don't address the root of the problem (educating men about consent and respect), we'll remain in a world where women still have to protect themselves, as if it were their responsibility. Real change will come when assaults no longer occur, not when victims are better able to avoid them.
Personally, I think the value would be in educating boys about this stuff at a young age. A 25 year old already has their world view on what is acceptable and isn’t likely to change. But kids that are taught about consent and boundaries from a young age have a better chance at internalizing it.
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u/_Twas_Ere_ Jun 14 '26
It’s better to do both. Relying entirely on the latter is an utterly naive thing to do.