ABOUT US:
Who We Are and What We Teach
Wen-Do Women's Self Defence is a registered charity and the oldest women's self defence organization in Canada. Our fifteen-hour Basic course covers a wide variety of physical and verbal self-defence techniques, awareness and avoidance of threatening situations, and discussions of psychological, social, and legal issues involved in self-defence. All our classes are taught by women, for women and girls.
Physical techniques are designed to be effective against larger, physically stronger attackers. They include blocks, strikes, releases from holds (arm holds, body holds, chokes, hair grabs, and situations where one is pinned to the ground), defences against weapons, and defences against more than one attacker. Women do not need to be physically fit to learn Wen-Do; we teach women to use their bodies as they are, and our instructors are trained to offer alternative techniques and strategies to women with physical limitations or disabilities.
Verbal self-defence strategies examined in the class include calming, reasoning, negotiating, distracting, surprising or confronting an attacker, depending on the situation. We also look at the most effective ways of calling on bystanders, if any, for help.
Discussion topics include sexual assault; relationship abuse; harassment; self-defence and the law; and safety awareness in a variety of situations (at home, work, or school; at parties or on dates; on the street, highway, or public transit; and while travelling). We also offer our students information on many community resources such as rape crisis centres, women's shelters, legal services, and more.
Our instructors undergo rigorous training and apprenticeship before being certified to teach, and must recertify every year. This training includes a strong emphasis on ensuring the physical and emotional safety of participants. Participants complete written evaluations of every course, to assist Wen-Do in maintaining its high standard of teaching.
Wen-Do's program has been recommended by the Toronto Rape Crisis Centre: Multicultural Women Against Rape, the University of Toronto Community Safety Office, and Toronto Police, and has been taught at universities, hospitals, schools, corporations and community organizations across Ontario.
The most important recommendations, however, come from the participants themselves. We know from both written and verbal feedback from participants that Wen-Do classes are highly valued; that for many women, in fact, their first Wen-Do course is a life-changing experience. Over and over we hear comments like, "This course has given me a whole new sense of confidence," or "I feel so much better prepared to deal with threatening situations now." Sometimes we hear back from participants years later about how they drew upon what they learned in Wen-Do to defend themselves from harassment or assault; one woman wrote, "Learning Wen-Do certainly saved me from being raped, and may have possibly saved my life. I am forever grateful."