Telling our stories: the importance of women's narratives of resistance.
While more research is emerging on women's capacity for successful resistance and the benefits of self-defense training for women, "resistance" to the idea of women's resistance remains high. In this note, I describe the importance of bringing true accounts of successful resistance to both academic and lay communities, and the benefits to women of recounting their own experiences of successful resistance to violence and harassment. Such accounts provide new scripts for women's options in responding to violence, mark attempted but thwarted rape as a visible event, and remind women of their own agency in the face of assault.
Cermele
Jill
J
Psychology Department, Drew University, Madison, NJ 07940, USA. jcermele@drew.edu
D000328:Adult; D000739:Anecdotes as Topic; D001242:Assertiveness; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D016139:Martial Arts / Q000523:psychology; D033262:Narration; D011902:Rape / Q000517:prevention & control*; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012742:Sex Offenses / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult