Martial arts for women and LGBTs in a country with a poor record of violence

In Brazil, martial arts school opens self defence classes that focus on the needs of prostitutes and LGBT people.

Brazil has a poor record of violence with one of the highest rates of LGBT murder and domestic violence. Recent statistics show that in Brazil, every two hours a woman is murdered; within the past three decades, at least 92,000 women have been killed inside their homes. Now, a new martial arts school has opened a programme of classes for those at risk of violence to learn self defence.

Piranha’s Team provide martial arts training for LGBTs and prostitutes to learn self-defense. The group learns through Krav Maga techniques, a self-defense system developed for the Israel Defense Forces made up of a wide combination of techniques from judo to boxing. The group focuses specifically on their needs, offering a martial arts space that doesn’t feel prejudiced and male-hetero dominated.

Last week, we wrote about an app that supports women to stand up to men who interrupt them. What other innovations that support oppressed groups will we see in the near future?

Website & contact: www.facebook.com/PiranhasTeamFC