Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Leads to Women Starting Martial Arts with Dr Stephanie Phillips

 Dr Stephanie Phillips surveyed over 300  women about why they participate in combat sports. She found that many women were sharing stories of overcoming violence and trauma and using martial arts as an outlet and a means of healing. 

Steph has worked as a Muay Thai coach and up until covid was still a Muay Thai practitioner, although she spends most of her time drawing comic books these days. 

Steph and Georgia chat about: 

• How she started Muay Thai 
• Why people say Martial Arts saved me
• Steph's survey and what she found
• Why she started a women's only class
• Women taking up space
• Bruises on women 
• Positive relationships with men in the gym 
• Whether martial arts make people respectful or people only stay in martial arts if they are respectful. 
• Advice for women joining a gym 
• Advice for women

To chat to Steph, you can connect with her on twitter at @steph_smash

 Thank you so much to Nari for the beautiful song "Shape Me" heard at the beginning and end of this episode. Nari wrote this song about Shape Your Life, a boxing program for self-identified women survicors of violence in Canada. She wrote this song using the words and experiences shared by participants with Cathy Van Ingen. You can find out more about Shape Your Life in my interview with Cathy in Episode 8. You can hear more of Nari's work by going to her Instagram: @narithesaga