The first women’s-only trauma-focused boxing program is proving that ‘healing doesn’t happen in isolation’, offering a safe space for victim-survivors of domestic violence to be empowered.
Located in Darwin, the ‘Knockout Violence’ program combines evidence-based practices with the power of boxing to create a supportive environment for women and girls to reclaim their strength, autonomy and sense of self.
Since launching in December 2024, the program has worked with 133 participants (female and male), including 30 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women.
Founded by Charles Darwin University (CDU) Social Work Lecturer (School of Allied Health Science- Faculty of Health) Ellen Thomas, the program plans to expand to young First Nations students at schools across the Northern Territory, where evidence has shown disproportionately high rates of domestic violence, especially for First Nations women and girls.
“Whether we’re navigating financial inequality, gender and sexual discrimination, violence, or abuse, we carry a collective experience,” Thomas tells Women’s Agenda.
“No matter our backgrounds or circumstances, these social realities affect us. But when we gather in spaces like this—when we recognise our shared truths and lean into our collective strength—we begin to rewrite the narratives society has long told about the worth of women.”
To ensure accessibility, more than half of ‘Knockout Violence’ events are free, with all profits used to support future sessions and participant needs.
One of the program’s volunteers, Kylie Burn, took up boxing a few years ago and said she’s seen how the program challenges the way society conditions women and young girls to make themselves small in the face of confrontation.
“Dealing with the confrontation of having people in your space in a physical contact sport can be uncomfortable, especially for victim-survivors,” said Burn, who is a First Nations woman from Darwin.
“Being able to look at that and engage with those feelings in a safe space with other women – as well as in an environment where you can trust those around you; that process is quite a healing thing to be able to face those traumas and feelings that might come up.”
Along with plans to expand to schools, ‘Knockout Violence’ will be delivering leadership and boxing programs to youth engaged in workplace readiness VET certifications through CatholicCate NT.
To learn more about ‘Knockout Violence’ and upcoming sessions visit @resilienceboxing on Instagram.