From Japanese “frustration spaces” to the growing popularity of UK Rage Rooms, Jenny Saunders notes that the promise of cathartic destruction has struck a particular chord with women navigating pressure, injustice and exhaustion.
Years ago, if you were feeling stressed you could go to the village fair and smash up some old china on the Aunt Sally stall, a derivation of an old fairground game. Health and safety may play a more prominent part in those entertainments now, but the idea of destroying things to relieve your inner angst is alive and well.
About eighteen years ago, a new version of this was created for workers in high pressure jobs in Japan. Kukyo chitai - ‘frustration spaces’ - provided safe places for professionals to come and vent their pent up emotions after a tough day.
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The UK has its own iteration in the form of Rage Rooms which are becoming increasingly popular with women. While not socially acceptable to vent our frustrations in the middle of a supermarket or on the street, how about in a contained space where you won’t have to take responsibility for the aftermath? The chance to enjoy physical and emotional release by pulling on overalls, donning goggles and going nuts with a baseball bat amongst old china, furniture and electrical equipment is probably as appealing to you as it is to me. All those times your computer/phone/video player (remember those?)/stuck drawer has tested your patience could be put to rest in a single cathartic hour. Or could it?
Some Rage Rooms have reported that as much as 90% of their clientele are women which begs some questions.
Some Rage Rooms have reported that as much as 90% of their clientele are women which begs some questions. Why is that figure be so high? How did our parents express and process anger? What does violent destruction do to our mental health?
We’ve all been conditioned to behave in certain ways. Women are still expected to be nurturers, carers and curators of domestic equilibrium as well as of parenting while juggling demanding jobs and possibly looking after ageing or ailing parents. Some of us are stretched to breaking point. If we add into this the relentless news stories of the gender pay gap, data about piteously low rape convictions, continued domestic violence and the avalanche of stories surrounding the Epstein files and abuse of power, perhaps it’s surprising our heads haven’t exploded with pure fury already.
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The BBC’s Riot Women (October 2025), followed a group of menopausal women. Fed up with being ignored, overlooked, misunderstood and generally being made to feel invisible, they joined forces to create a punk band as a way of expressing their exasperation and resentment. It clearly hit the spot with an audience of 5.4million people in the first 28 days (a second series is on the way).
Women are angry, but is a rage room the answer?
Yes, many women are angry, but is a rage room the answer? While they may provide short-term relief and a creative alternative for a hen party, smashing things up in any context will only deal with symptoms, not the root causes of what makes us angry. Jesus was sinless yet He got angry. The Bible is clear that there’s a difference between righteous anger and the sort of wrath that takes us down a path into unrighteousness. Jesus expressed his ire toward the hypocritical Pharisees who pedalled the sort of oppressive religion that crushed people, and towards the individuals who were misusing the temple as a place of profiteering.
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We need to learn how to handle and process our anger. Unresolved anger becomes ugly bitterness. Internalising or suppressing it eats our insides, leading to physical problems manifesting as digestion issues, headaches, ongoing anxiety and/or depression. Identifying the source of our anger is a good start.
Good questions to ask are:
Is this something that’s within my sphere of authority to change? If so, I can do that.
Is it within my sphere of influence only? Then I can use persuasion and subsequently let it go.
Is it beyond either of those spheres? Then I’m not equipped to carry it. Leaving it with God and trusting Him to work out His purposes is challenging but necessary.
If we’ve lashed out at others we need forgiveness from God, and from them. Our own honour and vindication ultimately lie with Him, whether in the present or in eternity. Rage Rooms may be a cheaper alternative to spa days, but let’s deal with the real causes not just the symptoms.
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