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Girls Fight Back CEO responds to the global "rape academy" news


By Nicole Snell


I'm sickened and furious to learn about the online "rape academy" that had 62 Million visits from men wanting to learn how to incapacitate and sexually assault the women in their lives. Women deserve better. These predators need to be held accountable immediately. And all the women that have been hurt need safety, support, and a path to healing from this unspeakable trauma.


Safety is a human right. "The right to live free from the threat of violence is a fundamental requirement to our health and wellbeing." (Gov.uk)


Violence against women, specifically men's violence against women (Dr. Jackson Katz) is a worldwide epidemic and the reason why Girls Fight Back exists. Women most often experience violence from men they know. Not strangers. And that is so disgustingly highlighted in this "rape academy".


We deserve to be safe no matter where we live, work, recreate, or who we're with. And it goes without saying that no one is ever at fault for violence that happens to them. Women are not responsible for the actions of predators.



Being outdoors solo isn't the problem.

Traveling solo and talking to strangers isn't the problem.

Having a partner isn't the problem.

Walking alone at night isn't the problem.

Wearing what we want isn't the problem.

Women are not the problem.


I have been advocating for women's rights and safety and teaching women's self-defense for over a decade. I teach empowerment-focused self-defense because the research and studies over 40+ years shows that it can reduce violence by up to 50% in addition to reducing symptoms of PTSD, reducing anxiety, increasing confidence, and providing a sense of self-efficacy to move through the world with independence. Self-defense isn't just about physical skills in the moment of violence. It is also about setting boundaries, trusting our intuition, and reclaiming our agency and confidence in the aftermath of abuse and trauma. It's about living with less fear and expanding our world.



And this may be an unpopular take, but I'm sharing it. The fact that the men in this "rape academy" and other "hidden abuse networks" are working so hard to incapacitate women is proof that they know that physical and verbal resistance to violence works (research supports this). Their goal is to prevent women from fighting back. Because they are afraid of us.


I will never stop fighting back.

I will never stop teaching women to fight back.

I will never stop teaching vulnerable populations of any demographic to fight back.

I will never stop teaching people how to use their voice and stand in their power.

I will never stop sharing life saving self-defense skills that not only counter the fear-based messaging that keeps us small, intimidated, and scared, but that can help you walk through the world with autonomy and dignity.


YOU ARE WORTH FIGHTING FOR




 
 
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