Victims no more, be Wonder Women

Most Indian girls are raised chaperoned and over-protected. Rarely do they learn how to protect themselves or react when they come face-to-face with a life-changing crunch. To make matters worse, cases of gender violence too are rising. In such a scenario, we ask the students of Hyderabad if learning self-defence is the answer. And this is what they had to say...
" Women today are changing, but most men have not.We have stopped being just a daughter, a sister, a wife or a mother. We have created our own identity. But most men out there have failed to give women the respect we deserve. Self-defence classes will help us develop a warrior spirit in us. It will prepare us for any battle — be it physical or mental. In the face of adversity, instead of running for life and shouting for help, we can give it back to the attacker. Moreover, learning self-defence will help us improve our reflexes, allowing us to move swiftly and smartly during hand-to-hand combat," says, Zobia Khaled, President, St Ann’s College for Women
"The art of self-defence is actually about believing in oneself and not necessarily learning various techniques of how to kick and punch. It’s about using smarts — not fists. Once a woman realises her capability and power, she can face any problem with ease. Self-defence will not only teach you how to throw a punch but also enhance awareness. Be a role model for the next generation. Show your siblings and your daughters how to be safe in the face of adversity. A woman, rather than relying on others for protection, must know how to defend herself from anti-social elements who prey on them," says, Rahul Kintada, MLR Institute of Technology
"Learning self-defence is like insuring our lives. When we can spend so much to insure our properties and on things we love, can’t we spend a little on self-defence to tackle the criminals out there? It will help us change our lives for the better and will make us more confident and empowered. Once confident, we will be more willing to take risks we never prepared for earlier. One doesn’t need to undertake rigorous martial arts training as such, but must know the basics to avert an attack and or pull off a swift escape," Shravya Dharmapuri, G Narayanamma Institute of Technology and Science
"Self-defence is all about personal safety — not just women, every person should be able to protect themselves. Most crimes against women are not sexual in nature but are actually about assertion of masculinity over feminity. A patriarchal society stresses on the fact men must protect women from all harm, giving the impression that women are vulnerable and incapable of protecting themselves. To prove their power and masculinity, perpetrators resort to sexual abuse. Why let them do that? Women should prepare themselves to give it back," Vaishak Menon, Sreenidhi Institute of Science and Technology.
"Age-old safety advice such as ‘do not walk alone on the streets at night’ won’t work for independent women of today. If they follow that, they will always end up victimised, and would never learn to conquer their fears. When today’s women are conquering everything they do — from flying to the moon to diving deep into the oceans — why can’t they conquer the roads they use every day? Why freeze when you recognise a potential threat? Self-defence will prepare you to fight attackers. It will make you physically capable to fight back and protect yourself," Shornali Ganguly, St Francis Degree College For Women.
"If a woman wants to take control of her life, learning self-defence is one way to do it. It is a must for women of all age groups. Attackers come unannounced, and the age of a woman has no respect in their eyes. So every woman should learn self-defence, not just for herself but also those who rely on her — parents, siblings, kids and spouses. Imagine what they will go through if she is incapacitated, or in worst case, dead. Why let loved ones go through the trauma when you have the power to avert any harm?," says, Nikitha Vattikuti, St. Ann’s College for Women