More than 3,000 individuals have reported using the skills taught by Dolphin to stop a potential rape
Self-protection skills show children how they can easily defend themselves against sexual violence. They are taught between 20-25 skills that could be applied in any attack, regardless of how many perpetrators are present, how strong they are, and whether or not they are armed.
The skills are simple, practical, effective and easy to learn; they were developed from common sense and existing martial arts techniques. The purpose of these skills is to not fight an attacker, but to cause temporarily immobilization, giving the victim a chance to flee from danger. The primary technique used is known as “Anti-Grab and Counter Technology Rapid Response.”
The youngest girl to use these skills was eight years old, from the Kibera slums, and the oldest woman to use them was 65.
In the First Person
Lena Maya, who used Dolphin's rape-prevention techniques to successfully fight off an attacker.
“It happened when I was in eighth grade. At that time I was staying with my aunt. I just cleared my final paper and was about to head home and then all of a sudden it started raining. Since the rain was heavy I had to shelter so that I wouldn’t get rained on. When the rain stopped it was around 6:30 or 7:00pm so I had rushed home because I was late. On my way I saw two men coming towards me because they never looked suspicious I never doubted anything and I walked towards them.
As I just passed them, one of them grabbed me from behind and the other one started removing my skirt. Then it was then that I remembered the skills that Dolphin had taught me and in a jiffy hit the man in the private parts. He began groaning in pain. The other man seen that. He was so scared that he thought I knew Kung Fu so he had no option but to run away because he didn’t want to be done to him what had been done to his friend. After I was released I had went home, was so scared, my aunt asked me what had happened. I told her, then immediately she took me to the police station. She wrote a report, but the men were never caught.
If it weren’t for Dolphin I don’t know where I could have been right now. Because I was young and ambitious and full of goals. If they could have raped me I don’t know what could have been of me right now. So all my gratitude to Dolphin. And I am praying now that Dolphin may be able to reach out to so many women and teach them the skills they have taught me. Because so many women need these skills. Now a days rape is everywhere, in the house, at school, in college. Everywhere.
After what happened, I joined college and set up my own club and am now a peer educator and teach the girls what I have been taught with the help of Dolphin. And if they get time, sometimes they come to my school and show the girls the skills.
I have an incident, last year, that a girl fought off a rapist and that rapist was none other than the boyfriend. So I am so happy that I can teach them what I have been taught.”
-Lena Maya
July 19, 2008
Lessons for Lambs to Fight Off Wolves
July 28, 2004,
by Grace Kithaka
“… The instructors, a group of volunteers from Dolphin Anti-Rape and Aids Control Outreach, begin with the “dos” and “don’ts”.
“Msichana aliyechanuka, hampatii mwanaume hamjui mkono ya…” reads Peninah Benga from a pamphlet, stopping mid-word to allow girls to complete it for her, which they do and in unison, “yakeee!” (a street-smart girl does not shake hands with a stranger). Meanwhile, Winnie Onyango, her colleague keeps watch over the children to ensure maximum attention.
Then follows a demonstration, with a man from Dolphin representing a would-be attacker and one of the girls playing the role of the victim. Stephen Kilonzo approaches the young girl and as he talks to her, offers his hand in greeting…”
Click here to read the full article.
Click here to see an article written in support of Dolphin from Suzhou, China!