Dear Helen,

I loved this story. I remember years ago when I was living in Athens, I went to report on a women’s group. An older woman was talking about being sexually assaulted despite having been trained in self defence, and how a switch had flipped. She said knowing how to fight was not enough, but that she had learned that she had to believe she was capable of hurting someone to protect herself. Afterwards, when she walked through the streets she knew in her heart: “they might hurt me but I will also hurt them” and that this innate belief in her own ability to do violence somehow created a shift. I am also a peaceful person, but I never forgot that phrase. Even now I feel nervous to send this and type this because it sounds like I’m endorsing violence and I’m not. Somehow though I feel like collectively we need to all find our inner bad ass — and your piece made me think more deeply about how and why. Thank you.