The Ministry of Human Services and Social Security on Sunday hosted a Defend Her self-defense training programme. The programme hosted at the Police Officers Mess, Eve Leary aims to arm women with the skills to protect themselves from violence.
The programme is the first of its kind and is part of the ministry’s ’16 Days of Activism’ calendar of activities to eradicate Gender-Based Violence (GBV) against women and girls.
Human Services and Social Security Minister, Dr Vindhya Persaud said self-defense training is a much-needed initiative to protect the country’s women.
The activity is a collaboration between the ministry and Maxido Adult Self-Defense System. Through the programme women are taught six techniques to defend themselves from punch/slap, front choke, rear choke, cutlass chop, double wrist and single wrist attacks.
“It is about responding and defending yourself and being very disciplined about it, it is strictly self-defense…. I would like to believe that any one of these women can save their lives. I am hoping that this can mushroom out,” said Minister Persaud.
During the exercise, the instructor highlighted that every seven women who die out of ten, due to abuse, five could have been saved if they knew the techniques being administered.
As the ministry commemorates 16 Days of Activism under the theme, Unite, let us engage to eradicate violence against women and girls, citizens are being informed of the effects of gender-based violence and the many governmental initiatives being offered.
