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Aug. 3rd, 2004 10:57 amRuminations on this... well, I hesitate to call it a meme because those are generally dumb quizes, though, really, this is more of a meme than a quiz is. Because a quiz isn't an idea but this thing is. To what am I referring? The radical idea that survivors of sexual violence shouldn't have to be silent or ashamed.
I think this is the post that started it.
I've been lucky enough never to experience anything like that myself but I know people who weren't so lucky. And I can't help wondering how many more people I know who are survivors and I'm just not aware of it.
It's just overwhelming, hearing about it all. Hearing how many people were affected.
And I know there's going to be a backlash. I guess it's already started. I don't know what's wrong with people. A lot of people seem to think the internet exists for them to entertain themselves by offending as many people as possible. These people are fucking losers. Going on LiveJournal to try to upset rape survivors? Yeah, that makes you really cool. Calling people "slut?" Very clever and original. I'm sure a lot of people are impressed.
I've been wanting to get training as a self-defense instructor for years but I never have time. I was interested in the R.A.D. program but they don't make it easy - I'd have to be available to teach weeknights and weekends, meaning I'd have to give up my own martial arts training. My plan was to get my black belt and then see about getting certified as an instructor. But the black belt has been put on hold now, because of my job. That was the R.A.D. plan at UC Davis; maybe there's something more flexible elsewhere. I think being a self-defense instructor is the best thing I can do to help. But I don't know how to help children. A lot of people are opposed to teaching children self-defense or martial arts, because it could give them a distorted idea of how capable they are of defending themselves. I'm inclined to say "so?" Obviously, the first priority is to teach students of any age how to avoid dangerous situations in the first place. I've never heard of a self-defense program that tries to make its students overestimate their abilities. And isn't it better for a child to think she can defend herself than to think she can't? From all the statistics I've heard, it's almost always better to attempt to defend oneself. The idea that "it'll just make him mad" and it's therefore better not to try to defend oneself and escape doesn't seem to be supported by the statistics. Self-defense classes aren't even entirely about learning the techniques; they're more about giving people the confidence to know they have the right to defend themselves and to be safe. Most attackers aren't going to be martial arts experts; we may not hear about it in the news but the vast majority of women who are attacked and who attempt to defend themselves succeed.
I think this is the post that started it.
I've been lucky enough never to experience anything like that myself but I know people who weren't so lucky. And I can't help wondering how many more people I know who are survivors and I'm just not aware of it.
It's just overwhelming, hearing about it all. Hearing how many people were affected.
And I know there's going to be a backlash. I guess it's already started. I don't know what's wrong with people. A lot of people seem to think the internet exists for them to entertain themselves by offending as many people as possible. These people are fucking losers. Going on LiveJournal to try to upset rape survivors? Yeah, that makes you really cool. Calling people "slut?" Very clever and original. I'm sure a lot of people are impressed.
I've been wanting to get training as a self-defense instructor for years but I never have time. I was interested in the R.A.D. program but they don't make it easy - I'd have to be available to teach weeknights and weekends, meaning I'd have to give up my own martial arts training. My plan was to get my black belt and then see about getting certified as an instructor. But the black belt has been put on hold now, because of my job. That was the R.A.D. plan at UC Davis; maybe there's something more flexible elsewhere. I think being a self-defense instructor is the best thing I can do to help. But I don't know how to help children. A lot of people are opposed to teaching children self-defense or martial arts, because it could give them a distorted idea of how capable they are of defending themselves. I'm inclined to say "so?" Obviously, the first priority is to teach students of any age how to avoid dangerous situations in the first place. I've never heard of a self-defense program that tries to make its students overestimate their abilities. And isn't it better for a child to think she can defend herself than to think she can't? From all the statistics I've heard, it's almost always better to attempt to defend oneself. The idea that "it'll just make him mad" and it's therefore better not to try to defend oneself and escape doesn't seem to be supported by the statistics. Self-defense classes aren't even entirely about learning the techniques; they're more about giving people the confidence to know they have the right to defend themselves and to be safe. Most attackers aren't going to be martial arts experts; we may not hear about it in the news but the vast majority of women who are attacked and who attempt to defend themselves succeed.
