Women In Poland Are Getting Free Self-Defense Lessons

The Polish government is launching a new initiative to provide free self-defense lessons for women across the country.

Led by Polish Army instructors and starting from Nov. 19, women will learn self-defence techniques and hand-to-hand combat. Rolling out across 30 cities, the program is the first of its kind in Poland according to a statement from the country’s government.

Women taking part in the program will have free practical training to learn defensive postures, how to react to being choked and how to respond to multiple attackers. The statement said that the project is aimed at women aged 18 and above “who want to learn and develop their skills and behavior in various situations that threaten their life or health, especially arising from physical threats against them.”

However, some commentators have said that the program is an attempt by the government to promote a positive image of the army, the BBC reports. Critics speaking to local news outlet Dziennik Polski said that the army should not be teaching unarmed combat to citizens, and that the lessons are a form of propaganda.

Last month Poland shelved a controversial abortion ban bill following popular protests and strikes from women across the country.

[BBC]