From Representation to Resistance: Individual Self-Defense against Gen-der and Racial Violence

Abstract

This theoretical study examines the intricate dynamics of the representation of women and racialized groups in violent scenarios, as well as the impact of such representations on perceptions of victims and aggressors. By looking at the persistent characterization of women as vulnerable entities and the racial undertone that underlies visual interpretations of aggression, this research questions how these representations take hold in the contemporary media and political sphere. Additionally, it proposes the premise that individual self-defense emerges as a primary mechanism of empowerment and resistance, enabling people to confront and reconfigure these hegemonic narratives. Self-defense, conceptualized not only as a physical intervention but also as an act of self-affirmation and subjectivation, offers individuals the chance to reassume authority over their bodies and paths in both public and private settings. The different sections of this study elucidate the multifaceted nature of self-defense, considering it as a process of rehumanization, empowerment, vindication of indignation, and identity recovery. Relying on theoretical frameworks and literary analysis, this academic work calls for a rigorous introspection about modes of resistance and self-definition in environments permeated by structural violence and discrimination.