Press
Interview: Support for Domestic Abuse Survivors in Bangkok
An interview for Coconuts Bangkok with 3 women with lived experience of abuse, providing recommendations for where survivors of domsetic abuse in Thailand can get help .
Interview
Interview for The Fight Back Podcast
I was recently interviewed by Georgie Verry, founder of The Fight Back Project, for her podcast. I’ve previously written about Georgia’s work running trauma-informed kickboxing classes, and after I ran a Muay Thai class for survivors of gender-based violence here in Bangkok, she reached out to me to record this episode. In this podcast, she talks to fighters, martial artists, psychologists and researchers. “Martial Arts Saved Me” – every martial artist ever. Why do Martial Read more
Podcast
The Bangkok Podcast – Confronting Thailand’s Problem with Violence Against Women
I recently appeared on The Bangkok Podcast as a guest for their episode on sexual violence in Thailand. The host, Greg, reached out to me for an interview and asked me to recommend a Thai woman appear alongside me, and I immediately thought of my friend Nana Wongsawang. As the founder of ThaiConsent and a survivor of sexual assault, she is the best possible person to talk about this topic. We ended up talking for Read more
Interview
‘Muay Thai Feminist’ – My Interview with The People
I was recently interviewed by Thai news outlet The People about my experience as a female fighter and a feminist in Muay Thai. The article is in Thai, and you can see the original in full on The People’s website, or in the Facebook post below. It was captioned with a Thai translation of a quote of mine from the interview. It reads, “I love Muay Thai…but sometimes I feel like Muay Thai doesn’t love Read more
Activism
‘We are Fighters!’ – A Muay Thai Class for Survivors of Violence
กล้าเล่า (Speaking Out TH) is a Facebook page that shares stories of sexual assault and harassment in Thailand. The founder, Jomtien ‘Jom’ Jansomrag, is an activist who has been speaking out about her own experience of childhood sexual abuse. We first met when we were both invited to speak at UN Women’s HeForShe University Tour to speak about our personal experiences of sexual violence. Through that, we bonded, and we’ve been firm friends ever since. Read more
Sexual Assault
Why Self-Defense Classes Don’t Prevent Sexual Assault
An article published last week in South China Morning Post claims Thai women are ‘fighting sexual assault with their fists’ by taking self-defense classes. It talks fantastically being able to stun and incapacitate a rapist, using an elbow or the heel of a palm. It also describes being able to valiantly protect ‘fragile’ friends, who have no training, from attackers in public spaces. While articles like this one may be great advertising for self-defense instructors, Read more
Personal Stories
If I’m Not a Fighter, Who Am I?
A former Muay Thai fighter’s reflections on the identity crisis that comes after retirement, exploring loss, emotional challenges, and the importance of building a life outside of sport.
Press
Unter den Seilen – Interview for the Berliner Zeitung
Yesterday, I was featured in Germany’s Berliner Zeitung newspaper. The article, headlined with the German translation of ‘under the ropes’, talks about the rising popularity of Muay Thai for women. Writer Caroline Bock came to train with me at Attachai Muay Thai for an afternoon last month for her very first session. After we’d finished, she interviewed me about my experience in Muay Thai and gender equality in Thailand. You can read an online version Read more
Podcast
Make Some Noise About Sexual Violence – Interview for the Ila Podcast
Ila social enterprise founded by Net Supatravanij and Julie Sané-Pezet, named after the Sanskrit word for the Goddess of Speech, which provides survivors of sexual violence with skills training. The goal is to achieve financial independence and freedom from violence. Ila connects survivors of sexual violence, corporations, and activists. As part of that, Julie hosts Ila’s podcast, Make Some Noise, in which she interviews people who are raising their voices about gender inequality. I had Read more
LGBTQIA+ fighters
British Trans Fighter Tara Wolf Has First Fight Under Tutelage of Nong Toom
Tara Wolf first contacted me after having a bad experience at a gym in Phuket. She’d paid for a month of training and accommodation, but after being sexually assaulted by the head trainer on the second day, she reached out to me for advice. “He came into my room and assaulted me under the pretence of giving me a massage”, she said. “I spoke to the gym manager about it, but he just played it Read more
