When we think about defending our boundaries and fighting for our own comfort and safety, we can often also think of a list of reasons not to speak up or fight back. Self-defense is about choices and each of us gets to choose if and how we want to respond in any given situation.

Sometimes we have to make these choices under circumstances that are, well...inconvenient. If you're going to be attacked, you might prefer for it to happen when you're wearing an outfit a little more comfortable than your sparkly holiday heels or your funkiest ugly sweater... Or maybe you'd feel stronger fighting back if you weren't on day 3 of that nasty cold that's going around... And if you're going to be harassed, you might feel more confident about speaking up if you weren't worried about killing the mood at a holiday party... 

But we want to remind you that your comfort and safety are important, and that you are worth fighting for! You deserve to be safe, even if it means ripping your sweater or scuffing your heels. And you deserve to be comfortable, and if you're worried that speaking up about someone making inappropriate comments at a holiday dinner might dampen the mood, remember that it was those comments that dampened the mood, and saying something might make you and other guests more comfortable.

Don't let holiday trimmings and external circumstances make you feel any less free to defend yourself! 

If you enjoy our holiday safety tips or want to help us make our community safer, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to IMPACT today!