Self-defence group strikes back against femicide

WITH Northern Ireland having the highest rate of femicide of any country in Europe a Newry woman has taken it upon herself to introduce the Strike-Back Self Defence programme into the area

 The brainchild of krav maga master Gulshen Bano  Strike Back aims to empower women by nurturing within them simple but effective personal safety techniques which they can use if they ever find themselves in a dangerous situation.

 With  28 women having died in the north at the hands of violent perpetrators since 2020  Newry woman Kerrie Havern, whose own background is in boxing, stated that Strike Back is a necessity considering the fact that “ so many girls and women being attacked daily.” 

Necessity

“It is a necessity in the sense that there are so many girls and women being attacked daily” said Kerrie. “It is shocking that to this day that so many women are still being hurt, killed and stalked.”

“I have the Strike Back Self-Defence franchise for Newry and Mourne. The founder was a women called Gulshen Bano.

“I have a boxing background and I spent a number of years with fit-club as a boxing coach. I am a member of Mums In Business, MIB, international. It is an international women's networking group.

“I have been involved with them for a number of years. I was at an event where Gulshen Bano the founder of Strike Back was giving a demonstration.

“She asked for a volunteer and before I even knew it my hand was up. I thought it was amazing, everything she said to the way she teaches. She herself had been attacked several times, once quite brutally. That is why she went to learn Krav Maga and became a master.

“However when Gulshen was training she was training in krav maga with men. She felt that it would be better taught from a women to a women.

“ So she went about setting up Strike-Back Self Defense. I think we were on our third death of last year at that sage in Northern Ireland. I said to myself I need to do this, I need to get involved in this because I need this for the women in my area. So I got in contact with Gulshen and she organised to come over in January. There were five Irish women all trained as instructors. The other four are in Cork, Kerry, Donegal and Dublin.”

Simple but effective

Whereas other systems of self-defense such as boxing and traditional martial arts take an extended period of time and a prerequisite level of fitness to become proficient with Kerrie shared in the fact that the philosophy which underlines Strike-Back Self Defence is simple and effective strikes that can be learned by anyone regardless of their fitness level.     

“At the moment I am doing a six week course, you come for an hour a week. You start of with avoidance and awareness and building up through the weeks. It is simple and effect strikes, nothing is over-complicated and it is suitable for all levels of fitness, you do not have to be fit to learn self-defense.

“An important part of our course is teaching people to get themselves out of danger as quickly as possible. You are using strikes to get away, it is not about learning complicated fighting systems. It is simple strikes, kicks and different types of moves that are very simple and easy for all abilities.

“Strike Back-Self Defense is all about building confidence and empowering a woman. Even the likes of how she walks and how she is holding herself when she is out and about. 80% of men who have attacked a woman have said it is because of how cowardly they were walking. Even if you are standing and you are walking with purpose, this is a deterrent.

“We would also teach the ladies about reading their signs and listening to their gut. Our main objective is about getting a women to safety. It is not about standing your ground to fight, fight and fight. It is about doing what you need to do to get yourself out of the situation and away.”

Strike Back throughout the North

Although Kerrie has only been delivering the Strike-Back course in Newry, Mourne and Down for a short while, she has already received several bookings from organisations in the area as well as those situated further afield.

Although she is resolute in her conviction to empower as many women as she can through Strike Back  she  currently remains   the only qualified instructor to deliver the course in the north. However she remains hopeful that in acting as a   pioneer for Strike Back more will follow in her footsteps and establish franchises throughout the whole of Ulster.   

“I have only opened the diary last month and So far I have got three or four different bookings from local groups in Newry, South Armagh.

“I did the training in Januray and I am already starting to deliver. I have been out with the SNAP, Special Needs Autism Group. I was out with their mums and girls two weeks ago. I will be going down to the Shamrocks to do it with their girls.

“ From next week onwards I will be going to Dungannon to deliver self-defense for two sets of groups. I was asked to speak at an event last week. There is a group from Dundalk and another group from Newry.

“We would love other women stepping forward to become instructors in their own areas. Northern Ireland is a big area for one women to cover. It works in franchise so until somebody else takes on a franchise in the likes of Dungannon. If there was some one up there I wouldn't be up their. My area is Newry and Mourne.

“However, unfortunately Northern Ireland has the highest rate of femicide in Europe and I am prepared to travel all over the north until more women stand up and stand together.”

If you are a woman who wishes to develop self-awareness , confidence and most importantly learn how to defend yourself in a dangerous situation feel free to drop an email to Kerrie directly at kerriehavern@strikebackselfdefence.com to sign up for the Strike Back Self Defence for women initiative.