Context and Nuance is Everything
By Antonella Spatola
As a martial artist and women's Empowerment Self Defence instructor, I've witnessed firsthand how traditional martial arts training often falls short when working with survivors of assault. Today, I want to discuss why incorporating trauma-informed practices isn't just helpful – it's essential.
Generally speaking, there are two distinct groups for those looking for a self defence practice. The first group know exactly what to expect in a traditional martial arts class, namely close contact with the opposite sex, exchanging bodily fluids, i.e. sweat, spit, sometimes blood, senior students will give you a hard time to 'toughen you up', you will be humiliated and made fun off in jest. You will be pushed in ways that if this type of behaviour were acted out in an office, lawsuits would be flying left, right and centre. This group love the structure, code, and challenge and thrives in harsh conditions. They are there to gain mastery over the mind and body and welcome the sacrifices and gruelling training regime. It's a way of heightened self-awareness and transcends throughout all parts of their life.
The second group are looking to learn how to defend the self. Maybe because they are taking a prevention mindset or, sadly, have been attacked and want to learn skills to be better positioned to know what to do if it happens again.
Whichever group you are in, noble and traditional martial arts practices need to recognise the alarming statistic of 1 in 3 women will experience some form of abuse and be able to recognise how to best position teacher and student to get the best out of the learning with empathy and not re-victimising the student.
Just for the record, I am not stating martial arts schools should overhaul the way they have been teaching based on respected traditions. However, traditions steeped in ancient techniques may miss out on a whole demographic of students that would benefit from their teaching if they approached the students with a sense that not all students start on equal footing, meaning what we see is only the tip of the iceberg.
Understanding the Impact of Trauma
Based on neuroscience, we know that trauma fundamentally changes how people process information and respond to perceived threats. When teaching self defence to assault survivors, Sifu's, Sensei's, Guru's, Sa Bum Nim's, Kru's, Hanshi, etc must recognise that in 2024, a new chapter to their discipline needs to be added, such as:
Traditional teaching methods can be confronting and can trigger trauma responses
Survivors may freeze or dissociate during high-stress drills or close contact
Trust and safety must be established before physical techniques can be effectively learned
Speaking to the student beforehand to find out their motivations to learn can give you an indication if trauma may be involved.
Creating a Safe Learning Environment
To effectively teach survivors, we need to:
Invest time in being very transparent about what to expect in a typical class, i.e. accidentally making contact with intimate areas
Remind and allow students to maintain control over their participation level
Provide clear communication about what will happen in class
Establish consent-based training protocols
Create predictable class structures
Offer modifications for all techniques
Respect physical and emotional boundaries
Provide contact details for support services if needed
Beyond Physical Techniques
The trauma-informed self defence must address:
Boundary-setting skills
Voice and presence work
Recognition of fight, fight and freeze response
Recognition of personal power
Building confidence gradually
Emotional regulation tools
Community support systems
The Instructor's Role
As martial artists teaching survivors, we must:
Develop deep empathy and understanding
Learn to recognise trauma responses (window of tolerance)
Create collaborative rather than authoritarian environments
Focus on empowerment rather than dominance
Maintain appropriate professional boundaries
Seek proper training in trauma-informed practices
Moving Forward
The martial arts community is responsible for evolving our teaching methods to serve survivors better. This means:
Updating instructor certification requirements
Partnering with mental health professionals
Creating survivor-centered training environments
Developing trauma-informed curricula
Building supportive training communities
Offering separate classes, even if it is to build resilience to work towards joining an open class
Remember, our goal isn't just to teach physical self defence – it's to help survivors reclaim their power and sense of safety in the world. This requires a holistic, trauma-informed approach that honours each person's journey toward healing and empowerment.
Watch out for Part 2 Soon
...And remember, every step toward personal empowerment is a victory worth celebrating.
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