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PROBLEM AND SOLUTION
SheStands aims to introduce self-defense and confidence-building martial arts education at a young age through school-based programs, helping girls develop lifelong skills in confidence, perseverance, and boundaries.
OUR PROBLEM
PROBLEM STATEMENT
GIRLS FACE REAL RISK YET TRAINING REMAIN OUT OF REACH
Safety is universal in necessity, but unequal in preparation. Both women and girls are at risk for issues relating to their personal safety. The scale of this risk is not hypothetical. Every 68 seconds, a woman is sexually assaulted in the United States. Yet many cannot be provided with tools that would help them feel confident, ready, and equipped for self-defense situations. Programs for self-defense training have provided benefits for situational awareness, physical confidence, and mental toughness, but women are greatly underrepresented in these programs. Although the field of martial arts offers various applications, including sports, competition, and cultural customs, the primary emphasis of the project will be on self-defense training.
"1 in 5"
Our program is focused on women, specifically young girls, because studies have shown that women suffer from harassment and violence at a rate higher than that of men. According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, "One in five women in the United States experienced completed or attempted rape during their lifetime." One in three of those girls is under the age of eighteen. Furthermore, "Women experience higher rates of repeated victimization and are much more likely to be seriously hurt" than men. It seems that, despite these findings, self-defense training for young girls has yet to be normalized and made accessible.
Informed through our interviews conducted with martial art instructors, coaches, and female participants, many women are interested in self-defense but are discouraged from joining martial arts programs due to environmental barriers. They stand in front of a new studio and only see male-dominated environments which can be aggressive, intimidating, and unwelcoming. Women interviewees consistently reported fears of embarrassment, injury, judgment, and not fitting in, especially for women who are new to physical training. A lack of female representation among instructors and students further reinforces the perception that martial arts spaces are "not for women."
These barriers are particularly powerful in adolescents and young adulthood, when girls' confidence often declines and body image concerns rise. According to the Women's Sports Foundation, by age fourteen, girls drop out of physical activities at double the rate of boys, which can contribute to lower confidence and reduced physical activity into adulthood. Unless girls have early positive physical experiences, they are unlikely to pursue them on their own, particularly in settings where access appears inhospitable.
However, the impact of this lack of participation does not end within the confines of individual schools or training centers. If women feel that they do not belong in martial arts, it leads to fewer chances of women occupying senior positions in self-defense studios. This continues the vicious cycle where fewer women participate, leading to fewer key role models, which deters women from participating.
This project aims to uncover meaningful avenues for reducing barriers to entry and more effectively promoting a supportive pathway for women and girls in self-defense. Our research effectively lays the groundwork for solutions regarding safety, inclusivity, and accessibility in order to empower more women to feel more comfortable and safe through martial arts training.
And so the problem is not simply about safety or participation.
It is about the moment a girl decides not to step forward — not because she cannot, but because the world has taught her to step back.
OUR SOLUTION
BRING TRAINING TO GIRLS WHERE THEY ALREADY FEEL SAFE
Our research indicates that barriers to self-defense participation are not driven by a lack of interest but by issues of accessibility, environment, and perception. Many girls encounter self-defense only when they are older, at which point intimidation, social discomfort, and declining confidence often discourage participation. Addressing this gap requires repositioning self-defense as a normalized developmental skill introduced early and delivered within familiar, low-pressure environments.
This solution proposes the integration of structured self-defense programming into existing elementary and middle school after-school programs. Rather than requiring girls to seek out training independently, instruction is brought directly to students in settings where participation feels routine, socially supported, and accessible. Embedding programming within after-school structures removes common barriers, including transportation challenges, financial constraints, and the intimidation frequently associated with private studio environments. This solution proposes the integration of structured self-defense programming into existing elementary and middle school after-school programs. Rather than requiring girls to seek out training independently, instruction is brought directly to students in settings where participation feels routine, socially supported, and accessible. Embedding programming within after-school structures removes common barriers, including transportation challenges, financial constraints, and the intimidation frequently associated with private studio environments.
THE PROGRAM IS BUILT ON THREE PILLARS
01
💪
CONFIDENCE
Building unshakeable self-belief through progressive skill development, situational awareness, and physical empowerment. Girls learn they are capable in the studio and in life.
02
🛡️
BOUNDARIES
Teaching girls to identify, assert, and protect their personal limits, verbally, emotionally, and physically, in everyday situations and under pressure.
03
PERSEVERANCE
⚡
Developing mental toughness and resilience through a safe, supportive environment that celebrates effort, encourages growth, and refuses to let any girl give up.
The program is built around three developmental pillars: confidence, boundaries, and perseverance. Sessions emphasize situational awareness, verbal assertiveness, boundary setting, de-escalation strategies, and foundational physical self-defense techniques. Instruction prioritizes psychological safety and skill-building rather than competition, reinforcing self-defense as both a physical and cognitive competency.
Delivery relies on partnerships with local martial arts studios and certified instructors, ensuring technical credibility and safety. To further address representation and belonging concerns, sessions are co-supported by trained youth volunteers, particularly female martial arts students. This layered mentorship structure increases visible role models, strengthens community engagement, and fosters early leadership pathways for young women within martial arts spaces.
Unlike traditional self-defense offerings, which often rely on one-time workshops or voluntary enrollment in external programs, this model focuses on early, repeated exposure within institutional settings. Skill development becomes progressive rather than episodic, allowing confidence, boundary awareness, and resilience to strengthen over time. By meeting students where they already are, the solution reframes participation as normative rather than exceptional.
This approach also generates reciprocal benefits for partner organizations. Schools gain access to practical safety education that supports student well-being, while studios establish early relationships with families and diversify future student populations. Over time, increased early participation may contribute to disrupting patterns of underrepresentation by cultivating a generation of girls who view self-defense and martial arts as accessible and socially supported.
By integrating self-defense into after-school programming, this solution establishes a scalable, community-anchored pathway that reduces participation barriers, strengthens developmental competencies, and promotes long-term shifts in confidence, safety, literacy, and representation.
BY MEETING STUDENTS WHERE THEY ALREADY ARE, THE SOLUTION REFRAMES PARTICIPATION AS NORMATIVE, NOT EXCEPTIONAL.
1 “Self Defense Class for Everyone at Pacific Beach Recreation Center | City of San Diego Official Website.” 2025. Sandiego.gov. June 5, 2025. https://www.sandiego.gov/event/self-defense-class-everyone-pacific-beach-recreation-center-0.
2 “Statistics - National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC).” 2025. National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC). September 17, 2025. https://www.nsvrc.org/statistics/.
3 “Statistics – Child Sexual Abuse | the Crime Victims Center - Parents for Megans Law and Crime Victims Center.” 2019. Parentsformeganslaw.org. 2019. https://www.parentsformeganslaw.org/statistics-child-sexual-abuse/.
4 “Domestic Abuse Is a Gendered Crime - Women’s Aid.” 2025. Women’s Aid. October 10, 2025.
https://womensaid.org.uk/information-support/what-is-domestic-abuse/domestic-abuse-is-a-gendered-crime/.
5 Women's Sports Foundation. 2024. “Do You Know the Factors Influencing Girls’ Participation in Sports? - Women’s Sports Foundation.” Women’s Sports Foundation. Women’s Sports Foundation. 2024.
https://www.womenssportsfoundation.org/do-you-know-the-factors-influencing-girls-participation-in-sports/.