Should Self Defense Training Become A Mandatory Elective In Schools?

With all the rape culture and safety topics in the news lately, do you think school curriculum should change to include self defense training in place of some gym classes? Especially for women? Also, bonus question, do you any of you know self defense? Real self defense, not 'I'm 300 pounds and only need to sit on you' self defense.

I know how to use a bo staff, but that's it. Hand to hand fighting, I'm completely open and a lot of my students, especially females, would not be able to defend themselves against an attacker.

Should Self Defense Training Become A Mandatory Elective In Schools?

I don't know if it is in other countries already, but here in America, it's not, at least, not for public institutions.
I know self defense and think it should be mandatory in school.
Vote A
I know self defense, but do not think be mandatory in school.
Vote B
I do not know self defense and think it should be mandatory in school.
Vote C
I do not know self defense and I don't think it should be mandatory in school
Vote D
Other
Vote E
Select gender and age to cast your vote:
Girl Guy
Updates:
+1 y
Guys, martial arts and self defense are not the same thing. Just wanted to point that out because some of you seem confused by the question.
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Most Helpful Guys

  • Except there is no rape culture in America it's been debunked many times most of it and claims of it are paranoia and hysteria so there would be no need for it in US schools. Now in places were rape is more common like the middle east or Europe I would say you have a fair point there and it would be in general a good idea but i wouldn't make it mandatory I would make it up to them to take the class for them to make that choice. Because if the kids don't want to be there they won't learn, they won't be into it and it'll make teaching them all the more harder.

    Also actually yes Martial Arts and Self Defense is pretty much the same the only real difference is the intent when going, in fact most if not a lot of martial arts schools train you to defend yourself against real life situations and attackers. In every school I've trained in, in my 10 years of experience. Has trained me for real life fighting, in the streets and against trained enemies and opponents like myself, I've been trained in Rattan Sticks, Knife fighting, Bo Staff and hand to hand combat. Also Martial Arts was designed and created as an art of war and personal protection it's the reason why it was created in the first place. This is proven on and confirmed by a much higher authority the subject then you.

    • Most people confuse actual martial arts with its sport form and not with what it was designed for in the first place self. Most basic women's self defense classes will teach a few different martial arts techniques from various disciplines.

    • @Righttobeararms83 Yeah I know, those of us who actually know what it was actually created to do, know better though. And those dojo's that turned their styles into sport forms outta be ashamed they've brought dishonor to their dojo's and their styles. martial arts was created for war it is an art of killing and a art of personal protection nothing more, nothing less.

    • I've never taken it to war but it has gotten me out of a few very stick situations even though I never reached Black belt in any of the Martial arts I trained in.

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  • This "rape culture" thing in the U. S. is largely hysteria. The real number of women sexually assaulted on campus tends to be around 1 in 40 or so, not 1 in 5.

    That's still way too many women being taken advantage of by men, and I would agree that training women to fight would be an excellent idea. I just wanted to point this out. Calling the U. S. a "rape culture" makes it sound like a dangerous third world country.

    Where I disagree is the motivation. Women should take martial arts just to be able to handle dangerous life situations, to toughen up not only their bodies but also their mind. Only thing is that the reason this is needed is not, in my opinion, "rape culture".

    • I didn't say the U. S. was a rape culture anywhere in the question. I said rape culture and safety topics in the news. Huge difference. And if you notice, by news, I didn't limit it to the U. S, either. And martial arts and self defense aren't synonymous. I didn't say offer martial arts, I said offer self defense.

    • I see -- yes, though I think martial arts in general is going to help. It trains not only how to avoid would-be assailants but also generally an attitude that helps to circumvent conflict, deescalate bad situations (something both men and women could use). Just that "rape culture" is kind of a "trigger" for me these days. I'm not even from the U. S. but I am sometimes afraid that this kind of vicious cycle of fear is going to engulf the whole education system.

    • So you think martial arts in general should be offered, not just the self defense part?

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Most Helpful Girls

  • I do not know self defense and I don't think it should be mandatory in school. That's can be dangerous like student get hurt, etc.. Plus it's impossible cause even boxe / rugby is forbidden to learn at school cause he causes injuries.
    I doesn't think you need to learn self defense if you doesn't go outside late at night and always go out with other people. nothing can happened. Plus everyone know student don't care about sport class and things like that they would just do a big mess.

  • I have just started learning self defense (Wing Tsun Kung Fu, which was made for weaker people to defend themselves against a/more stronger attacker/s).
    I'm not from America, but I think this would be useful everywhere to be teached.

  • Not mandatory, but it would be a good idea if it was an option. Instead of two years of physical education, take two years in self-defense. Sounds good to me. I've been taking Krav Maga classes, and they're useful and a decent work out.

  • I don't know self-defense but I think it would be useful so that way youth people (esp girls) would know what to do with a stranger grabs them from behind and on other situations.

    • would have been cool if they had that in my school instead of stupid selective classes that are useless...

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What Girls & Guys Said

7 25
  • Yes. The lightest flick in the vagina will floor the strongest woman in the world. I flicked my powerlifter/martial artist sister in the crotch and she immediately collapsed in pain, cried, farted, burped, pissed herself, puked, and shat herself before passing out. All from a flick.

    All it takes is one flick to floor any attacker, provided that the attacker is female. The balls are still weak, but not NEARLY as weak as the vagina.

  • I think it doesn't have to be mandatory, but it'd be nice to have it as an option for a PE course. It's not like everyday people are gonna come out of their hidey-holes and start raping people.

  • YES! That would be fucking awesome if they ever did that, now I seriously wish they had that when I was in school.

  • I think the problem is with girls being alone and drunk with sexual predators. You can know every martial arts but if you are too drunk it wouldn't matter. The best defense is to have a friend to look out for you and stop any guys from taking advantage if you are drugged/drunk.

    Also if they taught self-defense in school... boys would be using it on other people... and schools would be more dangerous than they already are.

  • I know self defence, whoever attacks you, knowing you can walk home and fight them off makes your life so much less stressful so yes, I think it's definitely something that should be made manditory.

  • I think that's a very good idea.

  • No, because kids now don't know discipline.

    • But isn't the whole point of many martial arts to learn discipline?

    • @Curmudgeon I was thinking that too, but kids today are becoming worse and worse. I would be concerned children would harming each other excessively in elementary. But I don't know..

    • years ago when I was growing up their were fights everyday in the playground and at the bus station etc were someone was always duking it out man to man, if you won you got the respect if you lost well at least you weren't a coward and nobody was ever badly hurt. Things are different now a days there's no such thing as man to man, honor, courage or respect. Today if a kid gets insulted in the playground his buddies tag team that kid, if a kid would rather stab someone rather thsn risk a beat down and be humiliated or even worse now if a kid doesn't fit in he comes to school with a gun. Kids today are so fragile and molly cuddled, God forbid their feelings get hurt.

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  • Just optional, because it can be painful for those that have disabilities.

  • I worry that people will take advantage of the class and hurt someone one on purpose.

  • I think it would be a good idea.

    The primary victims of violence are males so they need it at least as much as girls do.

  • I wouldn't say mandatory but it should be an option for gym requirements.

  • Yeah but not because of "rape culture". I just think its a valuable skill for everyone to learn at a young age. I wish I had taken classes when I was younger.

    • You can still take classes though!

    • @Dipsy True but it would have been a lot easier to start young. We learn things more easily at a younger age. Also we have more free time.

    • I didn't limit the question to any age group.

  • Yes, it should be mandatory elective in all the schools (primary and secondary).

  • I practice bjj so I guess you could say I do self defense. That's something that's actually great for someone trying to defend themselves from rape since escaping from being mounted or someone on top of you is done religiously in bjj.

    I don't think seld defense should be mandatory but it could be optional.

    The problem with self defense courses is abusive people can be drawn to it to use it and beat the shit out of their spouse.

    • I don't think self*

  • Its not schools responsibility to teach self defense, there are a lot of things schools should teach but they can only teach so much. One unlikely students will be open to the idea, then the cost. I still don't see how even during PE it would work.

    Its personal responsibility and students should be encouraged themselves to attend self defense classes. Maybe there could be self defense classes after school students can attend, but again how many students will attend and who will cover the cost.

  • I think Brazilian jujitsu school run by the Gracies runs a self defence class for women specifically for rape and assault, the big point is they teach a lot of ground defence. The thing is whats stopping a rape attacker to learn self defense.

    • https://youtu.be/UE5ufCSeWp8
      Martial arts geared towards womens self defense could be what you're looking for, the beauty of martial arts training for women is that most teach about using an attackers power and weight against them, you could learn some boxing or something but I've yet to meet a girl that can out box a guy.

  • Not really sure how this would help. For starters, if everyone took it then attackers would also have the same training. Also, you should think about the term "mandatory elective". lol!

    • https://youtu.be/DgKgXehYnnw
      Its like they would know what to do when attacking a victim with self defense training.

    • @Righttobeararms83 Hahaha! Very appropriate clip! Great episode!

  • I don't think it should be mandatory but i think it should be offered

  • Yes, it should. The self confidence you show by itself as a result of self defense training is often enough to subconsciously raise a red flag with people with bad intentions.

  • Pfft ahahaha yeah how about this. BJJ should become mandatory. Just because you take a class for a month doesn't mean jack. Work on your basics non stop so it becomes fluid when the situation arises

    • Where do you go to school where a class is only a month long? If that was offered, it would be at least 4-5 months long haha, and that's assuming it's not a full year class.

    • Most self defense classes are just poorly structured and only work on what ifs. Hardly do they ever do full contact sparring sessions which impound the skills needed. Do you do that in your classes? I don't mean walking towards someone swinging your arm with a training knife from a 90° to a 180° im talking about actually learning to defend yourself by putting on a face mask and using training tools or fists, aside from the poke in the eyes, knee in the balls, palm to the nose stuff. Do you pull from krav maga?

    • You know nothing of lesson planning if you think a self defense class that lasts for months and meets 5 times a week for 45 minutes will not include some type of sparring.

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