By LACHLAN MOORHEAD
IT WAS the crime that rocked Melbourne but the murder of Jill Meagher also triggered wider reverberations that are still being felt throughout the state and the City of Casey.
Tom McMahon, trainer from Shuzoku Martial Arts, Narre Warren, believes it is stories like Jill’s that have seen a higher number of women seeking self-defence classes, and when Lyndhurst MP Martin Pakula asked him to run a free self-defence seminar for females last month, he was more than happy to heed the call.
“Martin’s assistant contacted me because he’d heard of someone who had attended my classes,” Tom said.
“They wanted to see if I was interested in running a free seminar at Springvale Town Hall and I was very happy to help out.
“People came from all walks of life for the 45-minute session.”
Tom already runs regular defence classes for women at his martial arts studio and believes the lessons should be considered a necessity, like learning to swim or ride a bike.
“Women are certainly attending more classes and are making it a priority to know how to protect themselves,” he said.
“It’s a key part of our syllabus. Everyone needs to go through self-defence.”
While Tom was approached by Mr Pakula’s office to run the self-defence seminar, he couldn’t have done it without his wife, Narelle, who played a key role in helping guide the women who attended.
“Having my wife there really helped to break down any barriers with the women,” Tom said.
“I pass a lot of my information through my wife and she talks to the ladies that come and it just helps to break the ice and is received a lot better.”
Mr Pakula said he had been motivated to organise a self-defence class in his electorate to promote women’s safety.
“The self-defence class incorporated the building of awareness, prevention, risk reduction, as well as hands-on self-defence training from Tom,” he said.
“It’s about teaching women skills for self-defence to protect both themselves and their families.
“Women’s safety is a significant issue for our community and the fear and anxiety that women feel about their safety can significantly impact on their daily lives.”
Mr Pakula also said women who have experienced violence are also more likely to suffer from physical and mental health issues.
“The women who attended the self-defence class left feeling more confident knowing they have learnt new skills to keep themselves safe,” he said.
For more information on Tom’s self-defence classes, visit http://www.karatenarrewarren.com.au/.
