Surge in self-defense classes for children reported in Seinäjoki, Pori, and Lahti

The increasing need for children and teens to learn self-defense is leading to a surge in self-defense courses. In Seinäjoki, more school-aged children have recently enrolled in self-defense classes, according to Samvel Vardanyan, who has been teaching martial arts for decades. He attributes this trend to changing safety conditions and heightened incidents of violence among children.

“Even school-aged children have asked me what to do if someone grabs them by the throat or stabs them when no teacher or adult is around,” Vardanyan explained. Children are being taught how to manage violent situations and respond to attacks. “Everyone has the right to defend themselves,” he emphasized.

In Pori, Saario Academy’s Safe Kid program teaches 6 to 10-year-olds self-defense through play. This initiative expanded to Lahti earlier this year. Instructors Susanna and Jouni Rovio have noticed that increasingly younger children are eager to learn self-defense for safety reasons. Often, this interest stems from parents, but children also experience anxiety stemming from distressing events. “The feeling of insecurity diminishes when children feel they have the skills to cope. It boosts their self-confidence and they grow in various ways in the classes,” Susanna Rovio noted.

Krav Maga Federation President Tommi Nyström believes that while some children consider safety a priority, they are in the minority. He notes that many begin self-defense training under parental guidance, although some choose to pursue it independently. Nyström advocates for self-defense to be taught in schools, comparing the skill to emotional regulation, emphasizing that everyone deserves personal security.