Sharron Monaghan
Help Girls Fight Back and Get Away
Fundraising for Action Breaks Silence
Story
In the wake of everything that is going on with women in India, I believe that self-defense training is essential. In December 2012, a 23-year old female was beaten and raped while traveling on a bus with a friend. Everyone on that bus, including the driver, assaulted the woman and beat her friend. 13 days later the woman died while she was going through emergency treatment for her injuries. While the world mourned her death and condemned the attacks and treatment against women in India, Debi Steven, a personal safety and self-defense instructor with over 20 years of experience, could not just stand around and watch this happen. In July 2013, she and her team traveled to India to teach young girls and women how to defend themselves, and since then has trained over 13,500 girls, and that number is only growing.
I am here raising $1200 to fund Debi and her team conduct a self-defense and personal safety workshop, which will train 200 girls, in the North Indian city of Dehradun in July 2015.
"Violence against women and girls in India has become so acute and so prevalent that it has effectively become a gender or sexual-based war. It wasn’t until the horrendous gang rape and murder on a bus in Delhi in December 2012, however, that the situation was brought to the world’s attention. I couldn’t stand idly by. By offering my workshops for free, I hope to give life-changing options to women and girls at risk and provide help and hope wherever we are asked to teach." ~ Debi Steven, Founder Action Breaks Silence
One of Debi's students recently sent her an email that stated - "I didn't employ all the techniques Debi taught me perfectly but I kept fighting. Three times he rugby tackled me to the ground, and three times I fought him off, injuring him to the point where he needed medical treatment. I still remember my husband's shocked expression when he first saw my bloodied face, but I reassured him by saying, 'I didn't let him get me. I didn't let him get me. I'm okay.' Not only did I avoid being raped, or much worse, I emerged with dignity. I haven't experienced the guilt and fear that tragically plague so many victims. Instead, I feel empowered by what happened to me and I have Debi to thank for that."
If you want to learn more about Debi, and her work, I encourage you to visit: http://www.actionbreakssilence.org/
I am here raising $1200 to fund Debi and her team conduct a self-defense and personal safety workshop, which will train 200 girls, in the North Indian city of Dehradun in July 2015.
"Violence against women and girls in India has become so acute and so prevalent that it has effectively become a gender or sexual-based war. It wasn’t until the horrendous gang rape and murder on a bus in Delhi in December 2012, however, that the situation was brought to the world’s attention. I couldn’t stand idly by. By offering my workshops for free, I hope to give life-changing options to women and girls at risk and provide help and hope wherever we are asked to teach." ~ Debi Steven, Founder Action Breaks Silence
One of Debi's students recently sent her an email that stated - "I didn't employ all the techniques Debi taught me perfectly but I kept fighting. Three times he rugby tackled me to the ground, and three times I fought him off, injuring him to the point where he needed medical treatment. I still remember my husband's shocked expression when he first saw my bloodied face, but I reassured him by saying, 'I didn't let him get me. I didn't let him get me. I'm okay.' Not only did I avoid being raped, or much worse, I emerged with dignity. I haven't experienced the guilt and fear that tragically plague so many victims. Instead, I feel empowered by what happened to me and I have Debi to thank for that."
If you want to learn more about Debi, and her work, I encourage you to visit: http://www.actionbreakssilence.org/