Being LGBT isn’t always a walk in the park. Attacks and abuse against LGBT people are happening now more than ever, with hate crimes having increased almost 80 per cent in the UK in the past four years.
Findings by the charity Stonewall, show that more than one-in-five LGBT people has been subject to hate crime, while more than two-in-five trans people have experienced abuse and attacks. The research is based on a 2017 YouGov polling of more than 5,000 LGBT people in Britain.
Furthermore, three-out-of-ten LGBT people avoid certain streets where they feel unsafe and more than a third of people polled are not confident holding hands with their partners in public.
Sifu Jai founded the Wutian Martial Arts Institute, to provide a safe space for LGBT people to learn self-defence, meet new people and have fun while exercising. She welcomes people from all different backgrounds, straight people included.
Artefact attended a class to see what a self-defence for LGBT people is all about.
Featured image by Sara Silvennoinen