Boxing to heal

A Niagara woman is helping empower survivors of violence. She’s started a free boxing program called ‘Shape your Life‘ to help women heal.

“They can feel all of those things that they feel during a workout, the heart racing the sweating all of those things that they may have felt when they were under attack but they are safe here.” Laura Ip, Underdogs Boxing Club founder.

Laura approached a number of gyms in the Niagara region but it wasn’t easy finding a home for the Shape Your Life program so she opened her own gym.

“The challenge was when I said OK except no men can be present during the time of that program the response tended to be a very defensive but I have never done anything to women.”

The free program is open to women of all ages and all different experiences. The program is supported by YWCA Niagara and a $46,000 grant from the Ontario Trillium foundation.