It’s 2018. Being a woman should come with the basic human right of feeling safe, right? Well, no, it really doesn’t.

So in June 2018 (yes, two months late on the blog post – classic GirlDreamer) we collaborated with ROAAAR – a badass personal safety movement based in Birmingham and Lush – the cruelty-free cosmetic brand that we all know and love. Together, we decided that women’s rights ARE human rights and we would put together a masterclass weekend filled with all the knowledge, practical tools and discussions that would leave a group of young women feeling empowered and ready to stay safe out there in our crazy world.

So, rather than us blab on about another one of our projects and how great it was (don’t get us wrong, it really was) but this time we thought we’d share a few snippets of a blog written by one of the participants of S.A.S.S who happens to run an incredible blog called ‘Nati Creates’  (the link will be below the snippets) and you can check out the full blog there.

“Let’s not sugarcoat it. In Western society (the perspective from which I write), we haven’t reached the level of equality we’re claiming – in every aspect. Of course, it’s important to recognise how much progress has been made, but we must continue to contribute to every movement towards improving the lives of everyone on our planet.I want to encourage others to keep working towards this goal whilst I do the same, so when I found out about an event that shared this ethos, I was ecstatic.I spent last weekend at what is now one of my favourite spaces in Birmingham – The Impact Hub. Even better, this became what is now one of my favourite weekends in Birmingham ever. Not only did I meet an absolutely incredible group of inspiring young women, but I learned skills that have changed my life for the better.

Last week I found myself scrolling through Twitter to find women-oriented events near me with a focus on feminism and/or empowerment, which I feel very passionately about. Luckily, I found a graphic that appeared to be exactly what I’d been looking for.I hadn’t heard about any of the organisations involved in the event apart from LUSH, and I’d never trained in self defence, so I had absolutely no idea what to expect. As a feminist, I have a keen determination to fight for equality across every gender and enforce the fact that every single being deserves to feel safe, wherever they are. Unfortunately, this is a hugely complex and ambitious vision, but I want to contribute to this mission for equality in any way I can.