Talk: Why Most Self-Defense Advice Doesn’t Work… And What Actually Does
Press Release
SOUTHWEST HARBOR—When it comes to avoiding violence, most women have gotten a lot of questionable advice, like “don’t wear a ponytail, an attacker could grab it” or “or “don’t go shopping alone.” Directives like these come mostly from those in authority, who abruptly change the subject when you ask for evidence that any of these precautions work. Research shows that safety comes not from complying with rigid rules or avoiding white vans, but from developing the skills to resist coercive control, especially from people we know or people in positions of power.
On Tuesday, April 15th at 5:30 p.m., at the Southwest Harbor Public Library, Meg Stone, author of The Cost of Fear, will explain why most self-defense advice is outdated, fear-based, and often ineffective—plus what actually works. Learn how to recognize coercion, set verbal boundaries, and use simple but powerful physical techniques to protect yourself. Find out how learning self-defense can boost confidence in all areas of life. This talk will present practical, gender-inclusive strategies for learning self-defense safety skills that help work for social and political change. Online viewing is available. Check out Meg’s book: The Cost of Fear: Why Most Safety Advice Is Sexist and How We Can Stop Gender-Based Violence. Books will be available to purchase.
Meg Stone is the Executive Director of IMPACT Boston, an abuse prevention and empowerment self-defense organization. Her writing has been published in Huffington Post, Newsweek, Washington Post, Boston Globe, Dame, and Ms. Meg lives in Cambridge, MA with her partner Mal and a shockingly large collection of musical theatre cast albums.
To register, visit https://tinyurl.com/22safwv9, call 244-7065, or email programs@swhplibrary.org.