The Impact of Self-Defense Trainings on Female Soldiers' General Self-Efficacy, Sexual Self-Efficacy, Mental Health and Perceived Social Support

Empowerment self-defense trainings are an important means for dealing with sexual abuse. Such trainings include practical tools adapted to resist and deter gender-based and sexual violence, and focus on easily learned techniques by identifying the attacker’s vulnerable parts and the use of the victim’s strongest abilities against the attacker – with an emphasis on the use of voice. These trainings combine physical, psychological and emotional techniques. The research literature shows empowerment self-defense trainings consistently demonstrate a positive effect that includes a reduction in sexual assault rates as well as an increase in self-confidence, assertiveness and self-efficacy – though these studies were conducted mainly among female college students in the United States. 

The present study examined the contribution of empowerment self-defense trainings to the general self-efficacy, sexual self-efficacy, mental health, and perceived social support of female soldiers in the Israel Defense Forces, in comparing between female soldiers who had been sexually assaulted in the past and those who had not – as well as between female soldiers and female commanders. As far as we know, this study is the first to examine the effect of self-defense trainings among female IDF soldiers. Its uniqueness lies in the fact it was conducted among soldiers who are in a hierarchical and closed framework, who live and serve together. As a result, the variable of perceived social support is even more crucial.

The hypothesis suggested an increase in general self-efficacy, sexual self-efficacy, mental health and perceived social support among all female participants after the training. Also, perceived social support would moderate the differences in changes in general self-efficacy, sexual self-efficacy and mental health before and after participation, so for those who have high perceived social support, the increase in these variables would be higher.

It was also hypothesized that female soldiers with a history of sexual abuse will have a lower sense of sexual self-efficacy than those without a history of sexual abuse, and that female soldiers who have been sexually abused in the past will show a higher increase in the research variables being tested. Finally, it was hypothesized that female commanders will have a higher sense of general self-efficacy, sexual self-efficacy, mental health and perceived social support than female soldiers who are not commanders – and the commanders will show a higher increase in the research variables being tested. 

The study population included 61 female soldiers aged 18-22 (average age 19.6), of whom 29 were sexually abused in the past. 26 of the participants served in a command role. The participants took part in three or four self-defense training sessions, and each session lasted about two hours. The trainings were held at a number of military bases where the commanders and mental health officers expressed interest and cooperation. The soldiers were invited to the training and enrolled in it of their own choice. 

The research tools included five self-reported questionnaires: A demographic questionnaire; Sexual experiences questionnaire (Koss et al., 1985; Koss et al., 1987; Koss et al., 2007, Sexual Experiences Survey - SES); Sexual self-efficacy questionnaire (McCauley, 2006; McCauley et al., 2010, Sexual Self-Efficacy Rating - SER); Self-efficacy questionnaire (Schwarzer & Jerusalem, 1995, General Perceived Self-Efficacy); Short Form Mental Health Questionnaire (Lamers et al., 2011, Mental Health Continuum-Short Form, MHC-SF); and the Perceived Social Support Questionnaire (Zimet et al., 1988, MSPSS). The data was collected before and after participation in the training. 

The main findings of the study showed a significant increase in general self-efficacy, sexual self-efficacy and mental health among all the participants after the training. Unlike the hypothesis, a significant increase in perceived social support was found only in the general and family social support variables – and not in all perceived social support indicators. Overall, the higher the support from the family, the greater the improvement in self-efficacy in relation to a stranger. In addition, perceived social support from significant others was found to moderate changes in mental health – but the higher the support from significant others, the lower the improvement in mental health. However, since the effect sizes were small, and due to the large number of tests, one must be careful in interpreting the findings. Finally – in all the variables tested – no differences were found between female soldiers who were sexually assaulted in the past and those who had not, or between commanders and soldiers. 

This study demonstrated for the first time that empowerment self-defense trainings make a positive contribution to strengthening the sense of general self-efficacy, sexual self-efficacy and mental health among female soldiers in the IDF. The study’s importance lies in the fact that it tested the effectiveness of a preventive tool to promote these feelings, and perhaps, even reduce sexual harm in the military; That hopefully will affect both the participants’ well-being and the military system. 

Beyond expanding the theoretical knowledge about violence against women and the importance of preventing it, the current study offers a practical tool in the form of self-defense trainings. In the long term, the results of this study may lead to the development of an innovative systemic intervention program that could be implemented in a routine manner for the prevention of sexual violence in the IDF. In light of the findings, future trainings should examine how social aspects can be emphasized more in order to promote potential sense of cooperation, reciprocity and belonging.