Martial arts expert Adam Washbourne is fighting to end child abuse Adam Washbourne and student Danny Robinson, 6 at the KMA Martial Arts Studio in Liverpool. Picture: Robert Pozo Source: The Sunday Telegraph HE'S the martial arts expert fighting to end child abuse - and Adam Washbourne's lesson is simple. Sometimes bravery means just walking away. During his time working in community service welfare, Mr Washbourne discovered he had greater breakthroughs teaching martial arts to children than counselling them. "They got a bigger pump-up after doing some martial arts training than after an hour of me counselling them," Mr Washbourne, 32, said. A survivor of child abuse has had their confidence taken, innocent taken and their inner-strength is lost. Adam Washbourne puts student Danny Robinson, 6, through a tough workout at the KMA Martial Arts Studio in Liverpool. Picture: Robert Pozo They feel no one cares about them. We put those children with teachers and be there for them. We teach them they can be anything they want to be. Three years ago Mr Washbourne founded a charity called Fighters, designed to teach the South Korean martial art of hapkido to victims of child abuse. Many of the children who attend lack self-confidence and in some cases are too shy to even speak. Martial Arts champion Corey Nelson joins Adam Washbourne and pocket rocket Danny Robinson, 6. "We had a little girl and she literally hid behind the bags for the first few lessons," Mr Washbourne told The Sunday Telegraph. One day she came over and tapped me on the shoulder and said she wanted to do some martial arts. She recently got her yellow belt and is now so confident she walks up the people and introduces herself. It's amazing. But teaching martial arts to children is about more than just knowing how to kick and punch. Adam Washbourne has been nominated for a Pride of Australia Award. "We also do Bully Busters," Mr Washbourne said. This is a non-striking solution for when children are being bullied. We teach them to walk away from a situation. Some kids think only cowards walk away, but we teach them to use their words. Non-striking solutions are a big part of what we do. Mr Washbourne has been nominated for the Pride of Australia Award's Community Spirit Medal by Joanne Kelly. "Adam was sick of hearing stories about kids being abused so he started Fighters," Ms Kelly said. He saw kids wanting to train and their parents not being able to afford it, so he would put them in the class and teach them for free. The kids love it. It's changed their lives and given them a spark. When they're trying to achieve something and when they get there it's really special. Follow Daily Telegraph reporter Leigh Van Den Broeke Like The Daily Telegraph Facebook page here Follow The Daily Telegraph on Twitter