Citation

Hollander JA. Violence Against Women 2009; 15(5): 574-594.

Affiliation

University of Oregon.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/1077801209331407

PMID

19208918

Abstract

Those who teach or research women's self-defense often encounter significant resistance from others. In this article, the author discusses three major types of resistance to women's self-defense (and to women's resistance to violence more generally): the belief that women's resistance is impossible, that it is too dangerous, and that it risks blaming the victim. The author argues that one source of these reactions is people's taken-for-granted beliefs about gender, which limit their ability to understand the research on women's resistance and self-defense-and, indeed, prevent them from being able to conceptualize women as strong and competent social actors.

Language: en