Equipping girls with self-defence skills

“Through the practice of age appropriate self-defence techniques, girls learn how to recognise threats, verbalise them and act upon them,” says Sanette Smit, well known karateka and self-defence practitioner.

Smit and Margaret Neethling, programme coordinator, host the programme at schools across the Western Cape and it is their passion for child safety that has ensured that girls are capable of protecting themselves.

Child Protection Week

In 2015, 53,617 sexual offence cases were reported, according to South African Police Services. This Child Protection Week (29 May - 5 June), the Self-defence Schools Programme will be focusing on raising awareness of rape and other forms of abuse amongst girls.

The programme dedicated the entire month of May to empowering girls in the communities of Idas Valley and Cloetesville in Stellenbosch, with the practical tools of self-defence.

During the first quarter of 2016, the programme trained almost 3000 girls in Macassar, Vredehoek, Khayelitsha, Maitland, Heideveld and Pniel in the Western Cape. “The programme had a tremendous impact on our girls and we had two cases come to light because of it. Without the training, the cases could have escalated and we would not have been able to act accordingly to prevent them,” says Dawn Petersen, school manager at Blomvlei Primary School.

Neethling invites more schools to take part in this programme to act together in ending abuse against children especially during Child Protection Week.

For more information, email az.oc.ecnefedfles@teragram.