Sev Necati worked in
partnership with Sanctuary & Hackney Marsh Partnership (HMP) to deliver our
award winning project “Women & Young People’s Safety Solution.”
Our course
was delivered to local women and girls to assist them in feeling safer on the
street and when they are out and about in their local area. Most of the women and girls had not engaged
in any form of self-defence or personal safety training and this course
empowered and inspired those individuals to take responsibility for their own
safety.
The course worked
with a diverse range of women and girls, who came from various backgrounds,
ages, and abilities and had multiple complex needs. All our programmes are inclusive and provide
a safe female environment, to share, to feel less isolated, vulnerable and to
gain valuable skills, as well as get fitter and stronger. Overall health and well-being and confidence levels
are increased as consequence of joining our inspiring projects.
The
Participant - Case Study - One
Karen, 49 years old, White British, single
has two children.
Please
tell us why you became involved in the project/activities?
I became involved in the course because I
wanted to take more responsibility for my own safety. I had been looking into getting into
self-defence for my sons and thought why not take care of myself as well. Its feels empowering to do something for
yourself, that’s what it felt like.
You see violence around you and you want to
have more confidence to go out and protect yourselves as females, as we are so
much more vulnerable.
Please
tell us how participating helped you?
It has helped me in so many ways, the course
was absolutely fantastic, and it’s everything that you said, practising what
you taught us makes perfect.
If you are non-violent person, like myself, I
can’t remember the last time I raised my voice; it’s hard to know what to
do. Because of you, I have learnt how to
use my voice and make the person around me to think twice about coming towards
me in an aggressive way, giving me the confidence to be able to hit back if
someone attacked me, as well as getting away.
I must say Sev you are a real inspiration!
How you delivered the course and told us things
like if someone attack you or someone bothers you on the bus then you don’t
have to put up with it. That has given
me the real confidence to do it for myself.
Please
tell us what has changed for you as a result of engaging with the project?
What has changed for me is that I think I
feel more confident out and around my neighbourhood and do know what I am doing
now. I feel like I can go out more and
become more social, as if something did arise I could deal with it. I started practising my running again and
building up my fitness. Another
difference is now I am interested in boxing and strength training, I am nearing
50 and want to take up this training and improve my overall fitness and improve
my health as I know the benefits of taking part in sport. I also feel more confident in dealing with
situations if they were to arise. I feel
less intimidated by others and feel I will be able to assist others as well and
not feel this panic inside me, like I did before.
Thank you for delivering such a great course!
Some of the Females
Comments
"This course was great."
"I liked the trainer
Sev because she was powerful & strong; it made me feel less shy."
"I liked the course being all women because it made me
feel safer & more confident."
"I wish it was in
every community centre & school, as everyone can benefit from Sev's
training. It's priceless!"
"Absolutely brilliant & want more."
"Sev is a great
character & trainer."
"Sev always made time to listen & accommodate our
personal & learning needs."
"Excellent course!"
"I am very pleased to have taken part on this course."
"Sev was approachable
& allowed a safe space for questions."
"Course was excellent. I have learnt lots of tips &
techniques for self-defence."
"I have more confidence
walking around on the street."
"Sev's personality & approach to training &
teaching from real life experiences was insightful."
"This course was very
informative & applicable."
"I feel very lucky to have taken part in the training."
"My confidence has
increased & it has given me peace of mind to be myself."
"Sev being very good at what she does, she has
"street" knowledge."
"I really enjoyed the
course & liked how we learnt practical aspects of self-defence."
"The classes were a good pace & well run."
"I would definitely
recommend it to women I know."
"I feel much more empowered as a girl since doing this
course."
"Really informative
& helped me gain confidence."
"I found the course really informative; Sev answered all
the questions really well."
"I really enjoyed this
course because it felt like a weekly increase of empowerment."
"I now feel much safer walking home late at night."
"Loved it!"
"The course encouraged female empowerment &
solidarity."
"Sev is a really good
& clear teacher, with a lot of experiences."
“I feel much more emotionally & physically stronger now.
Thank you!"
"I feel more confident
in my surroundings, against bullies."
"This course has made me feel much more confident in
myself! Thank you!"
"The trainer was
experienced & had some very useful guidance."
"The course made me feel more empowered."
"Sev's hands on and
direct teaching style broadened my perceptions about self-defence."
"Self-defence is important for all women including young
women like me."
"Great teacher!"
"The practical exercises built up my confidence."
"The practise was very
useful & empowering."
"I really enjoyed the course."
"Fantastic!"
The
Participant - Case Study - Two
Marcia, 17 years old, British, single, no
children.
Please
tell us why you became involved in the project/activities?
I became involved in the course as I have
always had issues with doggy men since I was aged 11 years of age, so my sister
suggested that I join the course with her to put my families mind at ease.
When I was 11 I was going to school in my
uniform and I was on my regular bus, sitting at the back. There was a guy sitting opposite me and he
started masturbating at me. I couldn’t
move and I was shaking and I didn’t know what to do, I was crying and only when
he got off the bus I cried out loudly, for someone to help me.
It showed me how vulnerable girls were and I
told my dad and he took me to the police station and they didn’t do anything
about it and it made me angry as it felt like no-one cared. The same thing happened again and I froze and
I was still 11 years old and this time I was on the train.
Because of your teachings I now know what to
do and how to react if a similar situation happened to me.
Please
tell us how participating helped you?
It has helped me, feel and be more confident
in my ability and I am more confident as a person overall now.
It has given me the ability to protect myself
if anything was going to happen again.
I feel less like a target and victim and not
passive anymore, as I know I have the ability to fight back if I needed
too. I know frightening back is a last
resort but when I am at college and I walk pass the bullies I am no longer
afraid. It has given me emotionally as
well as physical strength.
That’s why what you do is so important I
didn’t realise how important self-defence was, until I met you.
Please
tell us what has changed for you as a result of engaging with the project?
What has changed for me is I feel more
confident overall. I have the ability to
know what I can do. Learning my rights
was crucial has it’s really important.
As you know your rights it’s more empowering, as you feel that the
system is against you if you don’t know your rights once you do the tables turn
in your favour, that’s what it feels like.
Thank you, what you do it’s important for all
women and girls.
All names
of participants have been changed to protect their identity.
If you are looking for sessions, courses, workshops, projects and
programmes that are both engaging, interactive and fun, but also informative
and educational then please contact us at:
info@sevnecatitraining.com
If you think that you would like to get involved in our projects then
please get in contact. Our aim is to
reduce violence and the fear of violence especially towards females and young
people and we do this by delivering empowering and inspiring projects to the
local community. Please contact us: info@sevnecatitraining.com
