Kia Haumaru – Personal Safety Education
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Free self-defence class for Muslim women
The Christchurch mosque attacks have sharply highlighted issues faced by New Zealand’s Islam community. Both before and after the shootings of March 15, Dunedin Muslim women reported on social media of people grabbing at their hijab, or head scarf. Dunedin self-defence teacher Bell Murphy is now offering a free class specifically for women who…
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Women’s Self Defense w/ Vivian Chandra
The Women’s Self-Defence Network Wahine Toa hosted a free self defence session for refugee and migrant women and other marginalised genders along with free lunch and childcare. Lillian Hanly speaks with Vivian Chandra from the Network to find out more about the event and discuss why it is important for women to know self-defence.…
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Enabling routes to escape violence
Ending a violent relationship requires courage, planning and support, writes Bell Murphy. From the day they are born, girls are told to fear strangers and going out at night alone. But statistically in Aotearoa, we are safer on the street at night than we are in our own homes in the daytime. Ninety percent…
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Orienting Feminism – featuring Bell Murphy
One of our wonderful kaiako, Bell Murphy, has been published in this amazing edited collection of essays which explores the meaning of feminism in the contemporary moment. This book focuses on feminist modes of activism, as well as media and cultural representation to ask questions about organising, representing and articulating feminist politics. Find out…
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Invercargill hosts Women’s Self Defence Network national training event
A group of women keen on teaching girls self defence have descended on Invercargill as the city plays host to a Women’s Self Defence Network national training event. The group of 11 women selected from throughout the country arrived in Invercargill on Friday for an eight-day training course for women’s self defence instructors. Network…
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Self-defence course for mums and daughters
There will be a one-day Mothers and Daughters self-defence workshop in North East Valley on March 11th, taught by Bell Murphy, an accredited member of The Women’s Self Defence Network–Wāhine Toa (WSDN-WT). The course will provide a fun, supportive space for mums and daughters to learn and practice simple techniques—mental, verbal and physical—which anyone…
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Girls Self Defence
The girls from Year Ten classes 10L and 10M were given the important opportunity to take a girls self defence course for the whole day on Thursday the 2nd of December. Bell Murphy from Women’s Self Defence Network Inc – Wahine Toa. ran the full day course. We were taught the basics on how…
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Five hours of self-defence lessons could save your life
As investments go, self-defence courses cost little, and have been proven to offer real protection against sexual assault or violence. Nearly 300 year 10 girls are being taught basic but effective self-defence in an annual series of workshops run by the Women’s Self Defence Network Wahine Toa, at Palmerston North Girls’ High School. Tutor…
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Sexual violence workshop’s focus
Tackling the “complex issue” of sexual violence was the aim of agencies that attended a workshop at the Edgar Centre on Thursday. About 12 agencies represented by 20 people participated in the regional workshop hosted by Rape Crisis Otago and Te Ohaakii a Hine – National Network Ending Sexual Violence Together. Rape Crisis Otago…
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More funding needed to teach Kiwi women self defence, says group
Ana Pereira teaches self defence in Invercargill, once used her skills in a home invasion, as says the skills could save your life. Every woman and girl in New Zealand should have the opportunity to learn self defence because they are all potentially at risk of violence, a self-defence network says. Each year the…