44%: Why Teenage Girls Need Self-Protection Training

As summer winds down and another school year begins, most parents are focused on schedules, supplies, and routines. But too few are thinking about one of the most pressing, and uncomfortable, realities their daughters may face: the threat of sexual violence.

It’s a difficult topic, but the data is clear…

Nearly 44% of all rape and sexual assault victims are under age 18, and girls aged 16 to 19 are four times more likely than the general population to experience rape or sexual assault (RAINN, 2024). According to the CDC, 42% of women who are raped experience their first assault before they turn 18. This isn’t rare. It’s pervasive. And it means that teenage girls, particularly those navigating the social pressures of high school, need tools to keep themselves safe.

Krav Maga is not a sport or a hobby. It’s a survival skill. Unlike traditional martial arts, Krav Maga is designed to work with instinct. When someone grabs you, your body reacts by flinching, pushing, freezing. Krav Maga doesn’t teach teenagers to override those reactions. It teaches them to refine them. To turn fear into movement. To turn panic into resistance.

A 2016 meta-analysis found that women who fight back reduce the odds of a completed rape by more than 90% (Wong & Balemba, 2016). And while resistance carries some risk of injury, most injuries are minor. The greater danger lies in doing nothing.

Beyond safety, self-defense training builds confidence, physical health, and a sense of community, the latter being of particular value for teenagers facing the pressures of adolescence. As you plan your daughter’s fall activities, consider what Krav Maga can offer. Not just empowerment, but preparedness. Not just fitness, but the possibility of survival.

This year, let back-to-school mean more than books and backpacks. Let it mean strength.