On average, one in three girls will be sexually assaulted at some point in their lives but those who fight back are more likely to survive. That’s why the Issaquah School District teamed up with the Fight the Fear Campaign (FtFC) at Issaquah High School on Thursday, November 13.

Girls who signed up from every high school and middle school in the district came to the Fight the Fear event where they were taught about signs of potential danger and were shown self-defense techniques by experienced instructors, including Maywood Middle School’s Humanities teacher Meggan Atkins. The hope is that this type of training and information could potentially prevent an attack and save a life.

“I don’t think people realize how often girls are actually assaulted, and at least if girls are aware about the possible danger, then they can better defend themselves if they are ever attacked,” PE teacher and FtFC advocate Kelsey Werre said. “It is especially important for high school girls to know how to defend themselves, because when they go to college it is more likely to happen.”

Girls who went to the event, like junior Vincy Fok, say that they feel more confident about their abilities to defend themselves. Some of the defensive skills that girls learned include boxing techniques such as heel-palms and elbowing, the power of voice to scare off a predator, and the signs that someone is looking to rape.

“It was really inspiring to see so many powerful women at the Fight the Fear event. The guest speakers were really empowering and it was awesome to see so many girls there who wanted to protect themselves,” Fok said.

For those interested, Meggan Atkins is hosting another FtFC event at Liberty in January, which will focus specifically on self-defense techniques.

“I really encourage girls to go to a Fight the Fear event in the future, because it will maximize their chances of avoiding or surviving an attack,” Fok said.