Self-defence programme gives young girls the confidence and means to say ‘No’!

Adolescent girls and young women are being taught self-defence skills to help them fight back if attacked.

The department of basic education’s Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW) programme, which is conducted in partnership with the Global Fund, includes a self-defence curriculum known as “No means No”.

It was created by No Means No Worldwide, an international, non-governmental organisation whose mission is to end sexual and gender-based violence (GBV) against women and children globally.

The curriculum, which is taught during workshops, is offered in 12 districts that have a high prevalence of HIV/Aids.

Details of the violence prevention programme were revealed in parliament on August 17.

Nacosa, a network of more than 2,500 civil society organisations working to turn the tide on HIV/Aids and tuberculosis, is the SA implementer of the “No means No” workshops, which cater for those aged between 10 to 24.

Sophie Hobbs, head of business development and communications at Nacosa, said the programme shows young women “how to identify risk early, how to say no effectively and, if that doesn’t work, how to use physical defence to escape danger”.

“As part of the physical skills portion of the curriculum, female students are taught by certified, trained instructors how to use enough force to get away should that become their only option in an attack situation.”

As part of the physical skills portion of the curriculum, female students are taught by certified, trained instructors how to use enough force to get away should that become their only option in an attack situation.

—  Sophie Hobbs, Nacosa

She said participants are taught skills such as how to break an arm grip and how to release a throat choke.

Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the curriculum has been adjusted to a “Covid Safe” model that teaches the same foundational skills on assertiveness, boundary setting, self esteem and worth, but there is limited physical contact.

Nacosa is implementing the programme in Klipfontein (Western Cape), Bojanala (North West) and Tshwane (Gauteng).

She said they did not work through schools, but through organisations outside school hours.

A total of 44 female instructors and 16 male instructors were trained for the Global-funded programme and 2,866 young women were reached through the workshops.

“The programme will reach a further 675 young women by March next year.”

She said they also have a programme for young men and are hoping to reach 1,120 through four implementing organisations.

“It helps young men understand that all forms of violence, including rape and sexual harassment, are not acceptable. They also learn to recognise when adolescent girls or young women are in trouble, and learn practical strategies of how to intervene safely.”

She said the programme includes comprehensive support for disclosure of sexual violence experiences and provides referrals to services “when needed”.

Hobbs said the young women find the skills very useful, adding: “Our implementation has been hampered by Covid-19, school closures and lockdown. But research found that the skills taught were effective and that girls were able to use them in real life situations.”

The story of a young girl who attended the “No means No” self-defence classes run by Childline Gauteng as part of Nacosa’s AGYW programme, was featured on its website last month.

The girl said she learnt that no one deserves to be a victim of abuse.

“I learnt that I am worth defending and I should not let people take advantage of me.  

“I wish I knew about this at a younger age. Maybe things would have been different.”

I learnt that I am worth defending and I should not let people take advantage of me.  

—  Nacosa AGYW programme participant

She said her self-confidence was boosted and “I was able to stand up for myself”.

One of the instructors, Thato Senosha, told Sunday Times Daily that participants find the programme to be very beneficial.

“They also really enjoyed it,” she said.

Other gender-based programmes offered by the department of basic education include hosting dialogues on GBV with school governing bodies, parents, traditional leaders and pupils.

According to the department’s presentation there is a need to increase knowledge, education and awareness about human trafficking, harmful traditional practices, pornography, prostitution and brothels “to empower community members with information needed to prevent such incidents from taking place”.

Granville Whittle, a deputy director-general in the department of basic education, told parliament that the “No means No” programme helped pupils to build confidence.