Association helps women victims of violence rebuild their lives with karate sessions

“Haiiiiiiiii!” A cry from the heart, like a release that has been awaited for too long. In Japanese, we call this the kiai : a battle cry that precedes or accompanies the application of a technique. In a room at the Pitié-Salpêtrière hospital in Paris, converted into a dojo for an afternoon, a dozen women have put on kimonos. Divided into two distinct lines, all have their fists raised in front of them. It is Gina*, the first, who breaks the silence. Her gaze is determined. Her arm does not waver. At her side, Marie* watches her with an admiring eye. “Gina leads the dance,” she jokes. “Thanks to her, we are less afraid to shout.” Every Wednesday, the practitioners take part in the karate session offered by the association Fight for Dignity. Not to learn how to fight or defend themselves, but to reclaim their bodies. In 2022, in France, 244,000 women were victims of domestic violence, according to the Ministry of the Interior and Overseas Territories.

Since 2017, Fight for Dignity has been offering women victims of violence physical karate sessions adapted to their trauma. Created by the three-time world champion of the discipline, Laurence Fischer, the initiative was based on a simple observation: while psychological support for abused women exists, no system helps to rebuild them physically. Following the advice of psychologist Linda Tromeleue, Laurence developed a method combining practice, breathing exercises and sophrology. “Today, these victims can benefit from these sessions in addition to their treatment,” explains the former high-level athlete.

A reassuring approach

Warm-up, stretching, technique: at each session, Élodie Billaud follows the same program. A karateka for thirty years (two years within the association), the teacher had to renew her approach to the discipline. Here, the activity is taught in the form of a session – and not a course – and the grading is not organized. “We welcome people who no longer feel their bodies, who have problems with orientation in space, anchoring to the ground, etc., lists Élodie. It is important to establish stability in the exercises to reassure them and give them a point of reference.” The vocabulary is chosen with care. Exit the terms “fight”, “strike” or “fist”. Make way for the words “pair”, “cooperation” and “touch”. The professional never forgets to ask each participant’s consent before starting an exercise. Lua* is also surprised. Exiled from her home country in Latin America, she arrived in France a few months ago with her daughter. This is the first time she has been asked for her opinion. She likes the session; she signs up to repeat the experience in September, for the whole year.

“It’s a piece of cake,” sums up Sabine Salmon, director of Fight for Dignity. When she arrived in 2019, there was only one workshop in France. Now, there are 15 in France, notably in Saint-Denis, Brive-la-Gaillarde, Marseille, Tours and Rennes. “Training teachers, identifying structures, specifications… we worked hard to be identified,” she adds. The result is a success. To date, 4,080 women have benefited from the system since the association was created.

Shouting to release anger

Gina, Lua, Helena* and Marie* are only waiting for one thing after sport: snack time! An essential part of the class that encourages interaction. We personalize the belts to our image using felt-tip pens, beads and embroidery; we eat and hydrate.

Gina is exhausted, but feels stronger than ever. Allowing her to scream, breathe and externalize her anger freely has done her a world of good. “Everything I can’t say with words, I say in this scream,” she lets out. The room falls silent. In unison, they all nod, understanding the message. At the other end of the table, Élodie smiles, compassionate. She doesn’t know their story or their past. But every week, she observes the benefits of her sessions: “Today, Gina controls her anger. The women regain confidence in themselves, I see it in their posture, their breathing and their determination.” After finishing her treatment, a former student chose to continue karate in another club. She is now a blue belt.

* Names have been changed.