Some time ago, a myth started to spread among men living in Nairobi’s slums: if you rape an elderly woman, you’ll live a long life, be protected from bullets in a firefight, and become immune to Aids. As a consequence, the number of sexual assaults against women up to 80 years old (often carried out by men heavily intoxicated by drugs and changaa, the strong alcoholic beverage illegally brewed in the shantytowns) has increased dramatically, to the point that it has become one of the country’s top common felonies. One day, women took matters in their own hands. And with the help of a few martial arts instructors, among which a former athlete of the tae-kwan-do national team, decided to learn how to defend themselves. Now classes are being held regularly in the slums. Students are of all ages, but the majority are still grandmothers.
