In Indonesia, a growing number of women are turning to martial arts as a means of self-defense and empowerment, as gender-based violence remains a pressing issue in the world's most populous Muslim-majority country.
Rani Miranti, a 38-year-old single mother of three, found refuge in Muay Thai training after suffering an emotionally and physically abusive marriage for 11 years. "Government protection usually comes after violence has happened, while we never know when it will come," she said. "So, we need to have self-defense capabilities."
The National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan) recorded over 289,000 cases of gender-based violence in 2023, a decrease of around 12% from the previous year. However, the commission believes this data represents only "the tip of the iceberg," as many cases go unreported due to limited access to complaint services, weak documentation systems, and social stigma.
In response, Indonesian women and girls are increasingly turning to self-defense classes and martial arts clubs to ensure their safety. Muay Thai, a form of kickboxing originating from Thailand, has become a popular choice, as it helps women gain skills, confidence, and prevention techniques.
Rahimatul Hasanah, a female Muay Thai instructor, has been overwhelmed by the growing demand for her classes, as many women prefer to be trained by female coaches or in private sessions. "Learning physical self-defense not only gives the tools to control their reactions to negative situations, but also can build the confidence for mental defense too," she said.
Rizal Zulmi, Hasanah's husband and a professional MMA fighter, believes the rising trend of women learning martial arts sends a clear message to abusers and criminals: "not all women are easy prey."
Rangi Wirantika Sudrajat, a 31-year-old doctor who has been deployed to various conflict zones, said martial arts training has not only boosted her self-confidence and physical strength but also serves as a healthy outlet for managing stress.
The National Commission on Violence Against Women has welcomed this phenomenon, as it can help empower victims who may otherwise be too shocked to respond to an attack. However, the commission acknowledges that more work is needed to address the underlying power imbalances and social stigma that contribute to gender-based violence in Indonesia.
印尼女性透過武術自我肯定,性別暴力仍是一大挑戰
在印尼這個全球最大的穆斯林多數國家,越來越多女性轉向武術作為自我防衛和賦權的途徑,因為性別暴力仍然是一個迫切的問題。
38歲單親母親Rani Miranti在遭受了11年情感和身體虐待的婚姻後,找到了泰拳訓練的庇護所。她表示︰「政府通常是在暴力發生後才提供保護,而我們從未知道它會何時到來。所以我們需要具備自我防衛的能力。」
根據女性暴力研究委員會(Komnas Perempuan)的數據,2023年共錄得逾289,000宗性別暴力案件,較前一年下降約12%。然而,該委員會認為這只是「冰山一角」,因為許多案件由於受害者獲得投訴管道有限、文件系統薄弱,以及社會對受害者的強烈輿論偏見而未被報告。
為此,印尼女性和女孩正越來越多地參加自我防衛課程和武術俱樂部,以確保自身安全。起源於泰國的泰拳,這種格鬥術已成為熱門選擇,因為它有助女性掌握技能、建立自信及提高防範意識。
女性泰拳教練Rahimatul Hasanah表示,她的課程需求激增,因為許多女性更喜歡由女性教練授課或接受私人指導。她說︰「學習自我防衛不僅教會控制應對負面情況的反應,也能增強心理層面的防禦能力。」
專業綜合格鬥運動員Rizal Zulmi相信,越來越多女性學習武術向虐待者和罪犯發出明確信號︰「並非所有女性都是容易獵取的獵物。」
31歲的醫生Rangi Wirantika Sudrajat表示,武術訓練不僅增強了她的自信和體能,也成為管理壓力的健康出口。
女性暴力研究委員會歡迎這一現象,因為它可以幫助賦權受害者,否則他們可能太震驚而無法做出反應。然而,該委員會承認,還需要做更多工作來解決導致印尼性別暴力的潛在權力失衡和社會偏見。
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