LARGO, Fla. — A new women-only martial arts gym is a place where many learn to protect themselves and begin to heal wounds that words alone cannot reach.
Tampa Bay 28 anchor Wendy Ryan, who covers mental health, found Gracie Largo West, which is owned and led by a domestic violence survivor. Ryan found out that Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu becomes more than just a sport, it’s a lifeline.
“I am a survivor of domestic violence and sexual assault, so being able to protect myself to never have to go through that again was a main reason why I specifically like the Women Empowered Program that she has here,” said Tiffany Newton.
After enduring two years of physical and mental abuse, Tiffany Newton lived in constant fear, never knowing if she’d make it out alive.
“Were you scared that he was going to kill you?” asked Ryan.
“Absolutely, absolutely. I had to get out. I left in the middle of a hurricane in 2018,” said Newton.
Still carrying the weight of that trauma, Newton found a women-empowered program at Gracie Largo West Gym a couple of years ago. Here, she not only learned how to defend herself, but she also found a sisterhood of survivors who encouraged one another.
“Coming into class and having a camaraderie and a community of women, who lift each other up has been so healing,” said Newton.
“When you go through traumas, one of the things is the lack of self-trust. And you know, rebuilding that trust is invaluable,” said Alyssa McIntire.
Alyssa McIntire, a sexual assault survivor, said this class has helped her heal, feel more comfortable in her own skin, and feel safer in her surroundings, knowing she is not alone.
“I'm not the only one on the mat, who has had these experiences. Unfortunately, the reality of the world we live in and being women and the statistics being what they are,” McIntire.
“We take swimming lessons in case we fall into a pool. We know how to swim and save our own life. Same thing, we should have self-defense just in case we need it. We should know how to save our own life, our own body, because this is all we have to be able to do that,” Jen Clanton.
Jen Clanton, a domestic violence survivor herself, opened Gracie’s Largo West to teach women Brazilian Jiu- Jitsu through a certified, licensed women-empowered program. It’s designed from actual, violent attacks in the real world.
“It is the 20 most common threat scenarios that happen to women based on police reports and survivor reports. So those 20 threat scenarios are broken down into 15, one-hour long classes and they all are individual pods,” said Clanton.
Each scenario is filled with specific self-defense techniques tailored to women.
“It teaches anything between non-violent neutralization techniques, boundary setting, situational awareness, and then it also teaches all the way up to lethal force options, if they're needed because we don't know what type of assault we're going to be faced with. 3 out of 4 assaults that women face are by someone that we know,” explained Clanton.
Clanton said those lessons turn fear into confidence while embracing the belief to never stop fighting.
“They chose that they are worth defending and that they are going to do something about it. And when a woman decides that and they make that decision to do something, that alone changes the trajectory of her life,” said Clanton.
For those hesitant to start, Clanton said the class moves at your pace, your journey, your healing, and a promise you don’t ever have to feel powerless again.
“You'll end up empowering yourself and you're going to make your new best friends, I guarantee it. All of these women came in as strangers and now they're like sisters together,” said Clanton.
“My journey needed to be what it needed to be for my brain to get it and then my body to get it. And that's a deeper knowing, yeah, and that really does start to heal the root of a lot of those wounds,” said McIntire.
You can learn more about the Women Empowered Program here.
If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual assault or domestic violence, The Crisis Center of Tampa Bay is always available to help just by calling 2-1-1.
Share Your Story with Wendy
Tampa Bay 28 Anchor Wendy Ryan is dedicated to helping our neighbors navigate the important topic of mental health. For years, she’s been connecting people to resources, listening to their challenges, and sharing their stories to decrease the stigma. You can connect with Wendy by using the form below.
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