If we have been in any Facebook groups or been in Cardiff long enough, you will have heard of the issues with creepy men around Cathays. Particularly on Facebook groups like Overheard at Cardiff University a noticeable uptick in women worried about creepy men around Cathays—so prevalent are some of these men, they are given monikers and nicknames to differentiate them from the other creepy men.
To talk about student safety around Cathays, I sat down with Rich Beasley and Sohalia Judd, both of whom teach free self defence classes in Cardiff—with Sohaila offering women-only classes. “I think Cathays in general is a target because it’s a heavily populated student area and it’s so close to the city centre”, Sohaila states, noting that the new independence and freedom that university brings also means “greater vulnerability—something that predators are quick to exploit”.
She lists the reasons why young women especially around Cathays are targeted: “Busy social lives [...] can increase exposure to unsafe situations”, not being “aware of their surroundings”, the surroundings themselves being unfamiliar, and “perceived vulnerability—predators will often target those that they believe are less likely to fight back and more vulnerable when under the influence of alcohol.”
In trying to keep yourself safe in these situations, Rich says that “De-escalation and avoidance is the first thing we teach and should always be the first thing to try, remembering the only goal is to come away from that situation safely. However, some situations are unavoidable and this is where I would turn to learning a martial art or combat sport.”
For this, Sohalia recommends Brazillian Jiu-Jitsu, stating that it is “one of the most effective self-defence systems in the world”, “built around leverage, technique, and strategy—meaning it’s perfect for smaller individuals facing larger opponents.
Rich recommends martial arts as well as “something that will teach you self-defence skills, boost your confidence and help you get used to the feeling of being grabbed or struck. By being regularly pressure tested, you’re less likely to go into a fear response and be able to get away more effectively.”
It is truly unfair that we live in a world where it is considered a good option to learn a martial art rather than simply be a woman walking home alone. Both Sohaila Judd and Rich Beasley teach free self-defence classes in Cardiff.