As a young woman I face a lot of harassment, both verbal and physical, and assault from men when I'm out of the house. Unfortunately this is all too common for women of any age. It has come to a point where sometimes I, and other female friends I've spoken to, feel uneasy about our surroundings and often find ourselves fast-forwarding 10 minutes into the future to see what the outcome may be and if we're in any danger. I like to think I would be able to protect myself if I was ever in a dangerous situation however, I know that that may not be the case and this is true for the majority of women. 

I believe introducing classes of self-defence for young girls and women would not only be empowering but also life-saving. Unfortunately women are seen as vulnerable and often get taken advantage of and this makes a lot of us feel unsafe when out. By teaching girls from ages 16+ at High School and all the way into higher education, it can make women feel safer, more empowered and confident that we can look after ourselves.

It is a shame today's reality is in fact that women must be alert. However, with this petition it can change how women see themselves and give us more value. 

I ask the Secretary of State for Education and the Minister of State for Universities to look into adding self-defence classes to their curriculum's.