"Teaching Women Self-Defense Using Tae Kwon Do"

March 1-2, 2008 in Vinnytsia

In honor of International Women’s Day on March 8, Progressive Women sponsored a Women’s self defense seminar during the weekend of March 1-2, 2008 in Vinnytsia. Tae Kwon Do black belt instructor Peace Corps Volunteer from Harkivska oblast, Shannon Zimmerman, gave the workshop free of charge.

School #1 in Vinnytsia hosted the morning class for 34 girls (under 18), where they learned an awareness of safety and possible dangerous situations, as well as strategies to protect themselves. Shannon demonstrated several basic moves in Tae Kwon Do and together they practiced how to get out of bad situations – and how to avoid them in the first place.

The afternoon class, held at Universitet Ukraini, was oriented to older women (over 18), and included discussion about domestic violence and issues more relevant to the lives of more mature women. Shannon taught the same Tae Kwon Do movements and strategies of self-defense, but in a more realistic context. A group of 12 women attended the afternoon session, and a combined group returned on Sunday for more advanced techniquess.

The seminar was considered a success and will hopefully be offered again in the future, perhaps for International Women’s Day in 2009 as part of a larger conference against Domestic Violence in Ukraine.