January, 2018 – A 15-year-old girl brutally raped in Jind, Haryana

March 2018 – An 18-year-old girl fights off three men harassing her and hands them over to police – in Birbhum, Bengal

Now look at this fact - The girl from Birbhum was learning martial arts for last 10 months.

This brave student shows us that girls can be empowered to face such situations with confidence, rather than feeling scared, victimised and helpless.

In India, over 53% children face sexual abuse. Whenever any such incidence happens, we just look at police and legal system for help. We never imagine that a girl can also have power to deal with such situations.

I am a mother of 7 year old girl. When I read about such incidents, these send chills down my spine. I want to ensure that all daughters get to learn self-defence techniques and become capable of protecting themselves.

I need your help to make this a reality.

As per a Times of India report, Maharashtra has maximum cases of child abuse. While the legal and social system is gradually getting strengthened, it is reactive rather than preventive, and still too far from ensuring a safe environment. We need a more proactive solution which has a larger reach and stronger impact.

Being in the field of self defence, I understand the gravity of the matter, as well as the solution for it. I believe that every child should be trained to protect themselves from an early age.

I am asking Maharashtra Government to make self defence training compulsory for all the students from 5th standard onwards.

Self defence is not martial arts, but a psychological, mental and physical preparedness to deal with any danger from undesirable elements.

It is quite economic to implement. A focused 5 to 10 hours training every year is all we need. Internal physical education teachers or sports teachers can be trained to impart this training.

Having learnt the self defence techniques over a period, these children / teenagers will not only be able to protect themselves, but also others around them.

We want all our daughters to be as empowered as this girl from Birbhum.

Bengal government has launched yearly 3-weeks self-defence workshops in undergraduate colleges. A college in Pune has already taken a proactive step and has made self defence training as part of their curriculum.

It is our turn now to ensure that every teenager comes out of school equipped and empowered to defend self. Let’s help make our children their own bodyguards.

You can help by supporting this petition.

Please sign my petition to School Education and Sports Department of Maharashtra to make self defence training compulsory for all the schools in Maharashtra.