About Safe BJJ

Why it exists

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is built on trust. We train in close physical contact, often with people we've only just met. We place ourselves in vulnerable positions, trust our training partners to keep us safe, and rely on coaches to create an environment where everyone can learn and grow.

That same environment of trust also means that when boundaries are crossed, the impact can be profound.

Research suggests that sexual harassment and misconduct are not isolated incidents within the BJJ community. Many practitioners know someone who has experienced inappropriate behaviour, yet many survivors never report it — or only tell a close friend instead of a coach or gym owner. As a result, many leaders genuinely believe these issues don't exist in their own gym simply because nobody has come forward.

The harder problem is that almost nobody knows what to do when it does happen. Gym owners confront the accused person immediately and destroy any chance of a fair process. Training partners question the person who has just told them something. People who have been harmed spend a long time unsure whether it counts. Communities pick sides within days. Every one of those reactions is well meant, and every one of them makes things worse.

The good news is that coaches and gym owners don't need to become investigators, therapists, or legal experts. They simply need to know how to respond well. A calm first response, a clear reporting process, and a culture that values respect and accountability can make an enormous difference — not only for the person who comes forward, but for the entire community.

Safeguarding isn't about assuming the worst of people. It's about creating a gym where everyone knows they will be treated with dignity, where concerns are taken seriously, and where members can focus on what brought them there in the first place: learning great Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in a safe environment.

The goal isn't to create fear. The goal is to create trust.

What it covers

Abuse in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is not only sexual. This site also covers psychological and emotional abuse, physical violence and unsafe training, bullying, hazing, neglect, grooming, online abuse and retaliation for speaking up. What abuse can look like.

What this is not

• Not a crisis service. We cannot respond to anything urgent. See Find support.
• Not an investigator. We do not investigate, and we do not take reports about individuals.
• Not a place to name anyone. There are no case write-ups, no directory of accused people, and no comments.
• Not a safety rating. We do not assess or certify gyms.

Who made it

The guidance is written by Laura Mallene, a violence-prevention educator and self-defence instructor who runs prevention programmes through her social enterprise KAIDSÕQ, and who trains Brazilian Jiu Jitsu herself. More about her.

It is deliberately independent, with no affiliation to any organisation, federation or camp — including the ones we are involved in ourselves. Someone harmed at an event should be able to use this site without it reporting back to the people who ran it.