Wen-Do training a “chance to come together”; Winter program to start in January

Wen-Do instructor Deb (left) and participant & human rights advisor Jennet Cox (right) in action | Courtesy: Jennet Cox

Wen-Do comprises of an English word ‘Women’ with few letters omitted and ‘Do’ is a Japanese word which means path or way. So, Wen-Do means the women’s path or women’s way of defending herself.

“Wen-Do is very adaptable to who is in the room and how women can use their bodies,” said Wen-Do instructor Deb Parent.

The five-week basic self-defense course for women runs at least once a year at the St. James campus of George Brown College (GBC). The program aims to give women knowledge of strikes that can be used in emergency situations.  Both physical and mental techniques are designed to help women with different abilities, sizes, and ages.

Wen-Do began in Toronto about 42 years ago and since then has widened its reach in Europe and introduced some programs in Japan as well. “Our goal basically is to empower women, to challenge the notion, the stereotype that women aren’t able to defend themselves,” said Parent.

“It has made me a lot more aware. Aware of my surroundings, aware of things that I am doing because now I walk from this campus back to Waterfront and I am aware,” said  Jennet Cox, a Wen-Do participant and human rights adviser at GBC.

The program started at George Brown in 2004 and participation of women has been constant. The maximum occupancy is 20 women. Cox said, “this fall we had a good response but a lot of people once they found out the next one was running choose to wait for the winter one, which will start on Jan. 26.”

Parent appreciated both George Brown and University of Toronto’s efforts for adding Wen-Do as a free training program for female students within the institutions.

“Every woman in the class has some experience on campus, on the TTC, or in her own relationships,” said Parent. She added, “it gives us a chance to come together and understand that we are not responsible for these assaults, and here are some things that we can do verbally or physically in the future knowing that there is a good chance it is going to happen again.”

The focus of the Wen-Do training program is to help women gain confidence with the realization that they are strong enough to defend and protect themselves everywhere.

“I think what brings women largely to a Wen-Do class is the fear of stranger danger and certainly we know that’s very real,” said Parent. “And we also know that women are 60-70 per cent more likely to be assaulted by somebody they know.”

For Parent, participating in a Wen-Do class gives women the opportunity to do  several things, including sharing information that uproots myths and preconceptions they had about themselves.