#48: Penny Mckay - Nevertheless, she persisted - Cults, Survivorship and Kickboxing
Today (November 25th 2021) is The International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.
To increase awareness of the domestic violence prevalent in all communities, Penny McKay, graduate of The Fight Back Project, asked me if we could share her story today.
I want to make it very clear that Penny asked me if she could share her story in the hope that it might help someone listening. I do not and will not ever ask my clients to share their stories, this was her choice.
Please also note that this episode comes with a trigger warning and know that we do discuss a cult, abuse, rape and other potentially triggering topics. Please be kind to yourself and listen at your pace, if you like.
Not only is Penny a survivor, she is an advocate and diversity and inclusion advisor with qualifications in psychology, disaster recovery, gender and development and currently completing her masters in women’s and gender studies at Flinders University.
Penny and Georgia discuss:
- Penny’s story from growing up in a cult, to being sexually assaulted as a teenager, being raped by a trusted partner, and the impact on her nervous system throughout her journey.
- Why Penny googled ‘trauma informed kickboxing’
- Penny’s experience with The Fight Back Project and what makes it trauma informed to her.
- How The Fight Back Project has impacted Penny
- Why kickboxing can be helpful for survivors, rather than harmful as many people assume.
- What the patriarchy is, how it contributes to abuse and how ‘choice’ leads to empowerment
- Penny’s work you did with women in prison who used force
- Overfunctioning vs underfunctioning in response to anxiety or stress
- The lack of affirmative consent laws and how our legal system perpetuates violence.
Instagram: voiceofsmallchange
Twitter: smallchange__
Website www.voiceofsmallchange.com
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Cover photo by instagram: joel_adams
