For me, “Everybody was Kung Fu Fighting” by Carl Douglas represents two things.
1. The art of fighting
2. An extremely entertaining beat to bump to while throwing a kick or jab.
My reference to this song is not for the promotion of violence, but for the defense of it—especially for women. Rather than live in fear of scary statistics about violence against women that stir up nightmares and activate the dark sides of the imagination, why not learn about tactics and techniques that can help you defend yourself and others in any given situation?
Despite my upbeat excitement for kung fu fightin’ lyrics, it is crucial to be aware of violence that occurs against women. The United Nations considers “any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or mental harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life” acts of violence against women. The World Health Organization’s (WHO) multi-country study found that between 15-71% of women aged 15-49 years of age reported physical and/or sexual violence by an intimate partner. There are a number of forms of violence and risks factors as a victim. Someone who experiences these acts is greatly affected for the rest of their lives. Unfortunately, women must be aware of what is happening around them to stay safe, as U.S. statistics are alarming.
Feminist.com states that: 22 million women in the United States have been raped in their lifetime. 63.84% of women who reported being raped, physically assaulted, and/or stalked since age 18 were victimized by a current or former husband, cohabiting partner, boyfriend, or date. (National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey 2010). Feminist.com has a number of facts and resources that can help you become more educated about this topic.
It is time to construct some positives out of these harsh negatives. The importance of self-defense and awareness can be fun to learn about in classes and simple for women of all ages to learn. You can empower the women in your lives, (and men too!) and be social while also being responsible for your safety.
There are a number of learning activities near you! Here are a few that you can participate in without having to go too far:
U of San Francisco 90 minute drop in classes
United Studios for Self Defense
You can also join your nearest IMPACT chapter. IMPACT is a personal safety, assertiveness and self-defense training program. They teach with a number of techniques and support you along the way. The Bay Area classes havenewly added free hour intros!!
Make sure to add “Kung Fu Fighting” to your playlist as you learn some maneuvers for success.
