Posted on 12 October, 2022
For Erin Barry, taekwondo is Greater than kicking issues and breaking boards: it’s An prolonged-time ardour pushed by feelings of empowerment.
Becoming a member of the Sangrok World Taekwondo Academy Australia in Canberra Collectively with her daughter Alex in 2016 (after beforehand teaching as An adolescent) her enjoyment has On A daily basis gone past the bodily facet of The sport—and now, as she continues To practice at Definitely one of many three Canberra academies serving to survivors of sexual and home violence, she hopes completely different women will really feel The identical.
Supporting The Pink Belt Enterprise—a peak physique For women involved in martial arts and an authority on martial arts for violence prevention and recowly—Erin strongly believes that connecting women with The sport not solely assists with their well being However in addition therapeutic, properlybeing and progress.
Based in 2018 by West Australian Black Belt mum Kristy Hitchens, The Pink Belt Enterprise empowers women in want by offering martial arts scholarships that cowl a yr Of teaching at A regular martial arts membership, As properly as to a uniform and completely different associated costs.
Impressed by Kristy’s imaginative and prescient of empowering women in want, Erin’s academy—the Sangrok World Taekwondo Academy Australia—was Definitely one of many first memberships to assist the charity.
“It was simply luck that we noticed it and it simply actually goes with our membership philosophy and ethos to be giving again to the group,” says Erin.
“There are three memberships in Canberra—us, the Korean Martial Arts Academy and the Turnbull Martial Arts Academy—who supply the scholarships…women nonetheless apply by way of The Pink Belt Enterprise but then We’re saying, ‘Okay We now have the performance to assist one, two or three college students this yr and we’re going To solely give them our personal scholarship.”
Providing the scholarships to women Who’re sufferers of assault, violence or are completely differentwise disadvantaged, Erin explains that the Sangrok World Taekwondo Academy Australia is incpurpleibly ardourate Regarding The advantages of taekwondo (each bodily and psychological) As properly as to growing women’s involvement in conventional martial arts.
“The objective of the project is For women Who’ve expert these issues Of their life To discover how empowering It is to be in an environment the place you’re setting goals, you’re reaching these goals And also you’re breaking gender stereotypes,” she says.
“It’s not about violence or stopping in that regard. It’s about the psychological advantages of conventional martial arts. We practice self defence, However it’s undoubtedly not the objective of The Pink Belt Enterprise.”
Now open for purposes by way of The Pink Belt Enterprise internet website, any woman who identifies as a sufferer-survivor can apply for the scholarship—and alongside with the bodily advantages of their free yr Of teaching, the hope Is that they Might additionally Be In a place To start rebuilding their Vanity.
“The objective is that Everytime you enhance confidence, self-worth, and Vanity, women Usually Are likely to recognise purple flags and behaviours and set these boundaries for what’s acceptable Of their private life by way of what they obtain from teaching,” says Erin.
“The empowerment comes from that…As properly as to the bodily power And adaptableness.”
For extra information go to pinkbelt.com.au and sangrok.internet.au
Function picture (left to proper): Libby Teki, Erin Barry, Pravin Bhatia and Tripharn Teki.