Watch: ‘It’s up to us to protect ourselves’, local champ gives life-saving lessons

• Local Jiu-Jitsu champ leading women's self-defense classes
• Overwhelming community interest in the series
• Gym hosted free workshop, offering upcoming paid courses

Many would-be thugs might think twice before attacking a woman if they knew she had a black belt in Jiu-Jitsu, is a two-time world champion, with seven Pan-Am gold medals.

However, not every woman in Kelowna is Sarah Draht but she hopes to make an impact on people's lives.

Since the pandemic, she noticed an uptick in reports of domestic abuse and random attacks against women and realized there was a need to teach self-defense.

“It’s good to rely on the police, but at the end of the day, the police come after something’s happened; court orders can be breached,” Draht told Kelowna10. “It’s up to us to protect ourselves and be proactive about that.”

Teaming up with The Yard gym, she is organizing a four-week self defense series that starts this week.

They had planned on offering complimentary admission to one woman but after more than 400 applied, they organized a free weekend workshop as well.

“We made this workshop free to give back to the community, because this isn’t just about money. This isn’t just about a business,” Draht said.

“This is about, I have something to teach these girls, and this is incredibly powerful work and I believe every woman needs to know how to do Jiu-Jitsu.”

Whether in her own life or working security for pubs downtown, she’s had to utilize these techniques in her own defense.

Her students have used them to defend themselves as well. Draht shared one instance where one of her students came into class after having been attacked by an enraged ex boyfriend.

“She had bruises all over her face, cuts, a couple of teeth missing, and I was like, ‘oh my goodness, what happened to you,’ Draht said. “She’s like, ‘I’m great. What you taught me in class saved my life.’”

Over 100 women, some as young as 13, came to the free workshop to be instructed in real-life scenarios.

“We'll put the girls in situations where they will be choked, where they will have their hair grabbed, where they will have the wrist grabbed, where they will be underneath people to get them used to being there,” Draht said. “So, if they do get attacked, that shock factor is gone.”

She also brought in male colleagues with grappling experience so the women can experience contending with a man in a safe and fun environment.

As a Muay Thai instructor as well, Draht is capable of teaching strikes but chose not to, explaining how punching, kicking, and eye pokes will escalate a real life situation for the worse.

In the workshop they focused on Jiu-Jitsu as it can help someone hold their own against a larger, stronger opponent.

Draht even said being smaller can be advantageous in certain scenarios like hair pulls.

She hopes to create an empowering community of woman and teach a women’s only Jiu-Jitsu class eventually.

The Yard’s owner agreed to host the free workshop to start off their self-defense series, in part because of how close to home it hits for him.

“It struck a chord with me having a 13-year-old daughter and understanding things aren’t as safe as they used to be,” Rob Evers said. “It’s something all women should have.”