Shavi, a young woman of around 20 attended one of our workshops about a year ago. Since then, she had made a conscious commitment to pay closer attention to what was happening around her.

One evening, as she was leaving an office building, she passed a bus stop where a 14-year-old girl was standing next to a man of about 40 who was dressed in a youthful, fashionable way. As she walked by, she overheard him saying things like:

"You look beautiful." "You're really something special."And several other comments in the same vein.

The girl smiled awkwardly. She appeared to be enjoying the attention.

Shavi continued walking and crossed the road, but then she remembered her decision to be more aware of her surroundings.

"Wait a moment. Maybe this isn't right."

She turned around and went back. Addressing the girl, she asked, "Are you alright? Do you need any help?"

The girl fell silent.

Shavi then turned to the man and asked, "Excuse me, who are you to her?"

"That's none of your business," he replied, winking at the girl.

"Actually, it is my business. She's a friend's younger sister, and I'd like to understand what's going on here. You're clearly not the same age."

"You can make a fuss if you like, but we have a relationship and you don't need to interfere."

"Alright then, the police can intervene."

She called the police and reported that a 14-year-old girl appeared to be being groomed by a man of around 40.

The man looked up over her shoulder and called out to a young man of about 25 who had been standing nearby:

"This isn't working. Let's get out of here — she's called the police."

The two men quickly left the area.

The girl, her voice trembling, quietly thanked Shavi. She explained that she had felt powerless and did not know what to do. On the one hand, she had been flattered by the attention; on the other, the situation had felt deeply confusing.

Before leaving, Shavi spent a few moments reassuring and encouraging the girl, and then provided the police with an update on what had happened.

This story highlights how empowerment self-defence skills can extend beyond protecting oneself. Increased awareness, confidence, and a willingness to intervene can also help protect others and disrupt potentially harmful situations before they escalate.

On the way to teach a karate class, the instructor was stopped by a gitl. "Are you the one from ESD?" "Yes", said the instructor, "I teach both Karate and ESD."

"You probably don't remember, but 3 years ago I took a couple of your ESD classes in school. Two weeks before the workshop my uncle harrased me, but I felt sorry for him and I didn't tell anyone.  Two month after the workshop he harassed me again, I didn't dare to react on the spot, but on the day after I remembered you saying that telling is important, so I went and told my mother. She didn't believe me, but I didn't give up, I tried telling a few more people from the family until my aunt believed me and made a big noise about it. My uncle was arrested and made to go to treatment. It really helped the family and I still think about the workshop a lot!"

During a casual conversation with a social worker, it emerged that one of her clients had attended my course several years earlier and that the course had been extremely significant for her. I invited the woman to come and speak, and she attended one session.

She had originally taken the course at a centre for survivors of domestic violence. After just one session—during which she participated very little and mainly observed the physical techniques—she returned home and was attacked by an ex-partner who, since their separation several years earlier, had continued to stalk her relentlessly.

When he attacked her, she used everything she had learned in the course. Later that same week, he attacked her again, and once again she resisted. Because the second assault took place in view of security cameras at a petrol station, she was able to take the footage to the police.

She also shared that the course had motivated her to borrow money from her father and install security cameras around her home. When I met her recently, I asked what had happened after the course. She told me that the footage from those cameras eventually helped provide the evidence needed to send him to prison. After his release, he moved to another city and is now subject to a permanent restraining order preventing him from contacting her.

She also said that the course helped her cope with the police investigations and the legal process that followed.

A participant used the communication formula with her teenage daughters:

"When I arrive home after working all day and I see the dirty kitchen, I feel discouraged and tired, I have no energy to start cleaning. Please clean the kitchen after you eat" .

Between the day it happened and the day she told us the story, the kitchen was sparkling.

I was teaching a tai chi class in a park. From the kiosk nearby came a terrible noise. The vendor was playing one song, over and over again, very loud. It kept on playing repeatedly throughout our warm-up and I couldn't stand it any more. I decided to talk to the vendor. As I was coming near him, he came towards me looking all big, puffed up and angry. I was certain he is looking for a fight. Instead of giving him one, I said: "Excuse me, when you play this one song over and over again, and so loud, it is really difficult for us, we have a class here. Do you mind changing the song and turning the music down a little?"

He looked at me all confused, mumbled something and turned his back to me.

After a few moments, he did exactly what I required- changes the music and turned it down.