Sexualisation of the Industry Feature: Protecting Yourself from Inappropriate Advances

Inappropriate advances in professional settings are often dismissed as awkward moments rather than recognised as boundary violations. Ollie Braithwaite’s article challenges this normalisation, offering professionals clarity, validation, and practical tools to protect themselves without compromising professionalism.

Ollie explores how advances often develop gradually, through tone, familiarity, or repeated testing of limits. When left unaddressed, these behaviours can escalate, leaving professionals feeling uncomfortable, unsafe, or unsure how to respond. The article encourages readers to trust early signals rather than minimise them.

A key strength of this piece is its emphasis on preparedness rather than reaction. Ollie outlines strategies that support professionals to establish clear expectations from the outset - through communication, environment, and personal boundaries. These measures are positioned not as defensive tactics, but as confidence-building practices that reinforce professional authority.

This article is especially relevant for solo practitioners and educators who work in one-to-one environments. It affirms that self-protection is not an overreaction, it is a necessary component of ethical, sustainable practice.

Founder of Absolute Defence, Major Ollie Braithwaite combines frontline military tours, elite Army instruction and 30+ years of martial arts to deliver powerful, real-world self-protection training rooted in behavioural science.