Defend Yourself

More safety, more confidence, more freedom, more fun!

Based in Washington, DC, serving the entire U.S.

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Should I yell FIRE!?!?

Lots of people have heard that if they are attacked they should yell “fire” to help attract attention. I don’t agree.

I suggest yelling things like:

  • “No!”
  • “Stop!”
  • “I’m being attacked — get help!”
  • “This man is bothering me!”
  • “Leave now!”

Why am I not onboard with the “yell fire” advice? First, remember that some 70% of attacks on women and teen girls are by people we know. We’re most likely to be attacked on familiar ground: our homes, the homes of our attackers, school, work, social situations, etc. So we’re generally inside. If you’re in a building and yell fire, most people will run outside, not run to the fire. So yelling fire can send help away.

Also, yelling serves many purposes. It can help attract attention, it reinforces your message, it can dissuade the attacker. For the second and third of these, it’s more helpful to be yelling something consistent with what you want.If you’re defending yourself, or trying to get away, yelling “GET OFF ME!” would be way more effective than yelling “fire!”

Before I studied self-defense, I was mugged in the daytime with lots of people around. I yelled FIRE! really loud, and nothing happened. So I also have personal experience that makes me not a fan of yelling “fire!”

Of course I’m not opposed to anything that works! (And almost anything might work sometimes.) The most important thing is to yell — and yell loudly.

Yours in resistance, Lauren

#resist

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Meet Lauren

Teacher, resister, advocate, warrior princess. Passionate about a world free of gender-based violence and people becoming their full selves. Loves chocolate, justice, and cats (not necessarily in that order).

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Classes for everyone

Defend Yourself has classes for everyone, no matter what your age or ability. Whether you're dealing with street harassment, going off to college, healing from abuse, or any other challenge, we offer skills you can use.

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National Street Harassment Hotline

Call toll-free: 855-897-5910
(English + Spanish. 24-7)
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More safety, more confidence, more freedom, more fun!

Get our newsletter!

Sign up now for our monthly newsletter and you’ll also get our e-book with stories of real-life people standing up to harassment, abuse, and assault!

Read our latest newsletter here
 

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Learn something now

  • Run,Yell,Tell, Hit, + Go Along
  • My journey to assertiveness
  • Strategies for safety
  • Should I yell FIRE!?!?
  • #9 Making self-defense a part of your life
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What people say

The teachers are nonjudgmental: they are not going to tell you that what you are doing is wrong.
This class has affected my life in many ways. I am now able to deal with many suppressed feelings. This is an opening for me. I finally allow myself to feel anger without blaming myself. I now realize I have the right to happiness and I will fervently fight whoever tries to take this.
To my surprise, I found the verbal parts of the class the most beneficial. Instead of just preparing us for the chance of an all-out attack, we learned skills that have been helping me to navigate more assertively through everyday situations. You helped all of us to view self-defense holistically, and asked us to question our role in making this world less violent.
I feel more confident, yet not complacent. I am learning to incorporate no into my everyday life.
This class showed me that . . . I have every right to defend myself and take care of myself the best way I know how. My first responsibility is to myself.
This class not only showed me how to defend my body, but it taught me how to express myself as well. It nurtured my soul and showed me that to be a woman does not mean that I am physically helpless.
This class was a springboard. Now I know where I need to go in the rest of my life.
Thank you for a wonderful class. I will spread the word around my high school and to every interested girl/woman I know!
What an empowering, enlightening class! You gave me a wonderfully empowering gift – the ability to speak! You helped take away some of the fear that I had by having me realize that I have some power within.
Thank you for such an empowering, confidence-inspiring class. When you first announced that the class would teach both verbal and physical defense, I was a bit hesitant – I presumed I already knew how to verbally defend myself, and thought I was ready to get down to more hard core self-defense moves.
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