There is much debate about the use of protective gear in martial arts. Many styles only allow light or no contact, no strikes to the face, etc. and therefore do not require protections. What happens when a practitioner encounters violence in real life however comes at a surprise. You have a lot of learning to do in a second while getting pounded in the face by an experienced attacker.. Not the best time to learn taking hits.
I just came upon an interesting article from the BBC about how men and women respond differently to danger.
Violence against women and girls is widespread; one woman in three will experience violence during her lifetime, most often at the hands of someone she knows. Don’t crucify me about the title, I just wanted to get your attention, because if you are a woman, what you will read here, and what you do about [...]