Story: Victims of crime

Practising self-defence

Practising self-defence

Women practise self-defence moves at a YWCA course. In 1979 a feminist martial-arts expert, Sue Lytollis, developed a self-defence course for New Zealand women. It was taught first at the Auckland YWCA and then at YWCAs throughout the country. The philosophy behind the course was to give women the confidence to defend themselves if attacked.

Using this item

Auckland War Memorial Museum Tamaki Paenga Hira
Reference: PH86-1-YWCA-7-39

Permission of the Auckland War Memorial Museum Tamaki Paenga Hira must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page:

Nancy Swarbrick, 'Victims of crime - Supporting victims, 1970s and 1980s', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/26845/practising-self-defence (accessed 30 April 2024)

Story by Nancy Swarbrick, published 5 May 2011, reviewed & revised 15 Jul 2018