Despite help and protection being available to women at their beck and call; isn’t it better to learn how to defend oneself in times of need? Thinking along similar lines, The Karnataka State Reserve Police is training a women platoon in unarmed combat, following which, they will take over as instructors for young girls in schools and colleges across the state. The women cops have already begun training in karate and judo, and are expected to complete the training in a few months. Additional director-general of police Bhaskar Rao elaborates, “The idea is not just to train them for their benefit, but to take them to instructor-level. Once they are ready, they can be appointed by women and child development departments to train school and college girls in unarmed combat.”
What do the young-and-about populace of the city think of this new self protection drive? We find out. Likitha Ankaraju, a programme producer feels that although self-protection is necessary, it should not be forced upon women, “Self-protection is very necessary as women have become more and more independent now. But I feel that they should be trained only if they wish to learn. In today’s world, with more independent women returning home late at night, alone, I do feel learning self-defense is necessary as it is helpful to learn unarmed combat.”
An initiative that some feel should also be centralised next; Anitha Perumal, a city-based software engineer, says, “This initiative by the state government is really appreciable, and can be taken to the next level by making it centralised in our country. Self-defense is a basic necessity for a woman, like the many apps on a mobile that have become a necessity. Such a defense mechanism will not only make them stronger and healthier, but also give them the confidence to face and break through their fears. For a woman like me who loves to live an independent life, time should not be a constraint. We should be able to walk anytime anywhere with a smile of confidence.”
There is another facet to learning the art of self-defense, and many aver that it helps make women less dependent on others for help. Nikhil Anand says, “With the current state of affairs, I feel that it’s necessary that women to learn self protection. If women learn such techniques, it’s for their own good especially when travelling alone. A woman deserves to be secure. It is a great skill that might one day save your life. It is a great initiative by the government, and it helps a woman gain a self-secure state of mind.”
For expert trainer, Sensei Ravi Carvalho, the need to break away from the notion that such training is only for men is imperative, “Women look at self-defense as a task, and not as a part of well-being. It takes effort to learn the art but once mastered, women gain the confidence to protect themselves in the darkest of hours. It’s important to make it a routine skill. Pretty much like how cooking is an art that gets better with practise, one’s interest and expertise in martial arts improves over time.”
