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Request an interview or quote
If you’re a reporter, opinion writer, editor, or producer, we’re happy to speak with you! If it has to do with harassment, abuse, or assault, you’ve come to the right place.
Defend Yourself staff — Director Lauren Taylor and our crew of trainers — have extensive expertise in key contemporary issues. Reach out to us if you’d like to know more about:
- Active bystander skills for stopping gender-based violence, hate directed at Asian Americans, hate directed at Black Americans, and more.
- Preventing and interrupting workplace sexual harassment and creating safe and respectful workplace cultures.
- De-escalation skills for those who work in public-facing jobs.
- Prevalence and effects of sexual, domestic/family, and other gender-based violence, including trauma and healing.
- Boundary-setting, assertiveness, and physical skills for preventing and interrupting gender-based violence.
- What to say when someone tells you they’ve been harassed, abused, or assaulted.
- The intersections of racist and sexist violence, and more.
See selected news coverage and features
Selected news coverage: Defend Yourself
- “Ahead of Trump inauguration, this group trains bystanders to stand up to hate,” The Washington Post
- “A Sisterhood Of Sexual Assault Survivors Are Sharing Stories, Shouting Back,” Joshua Johnson, The 1A, WAMU/NPR
- “Self-Defense Beyond the Breakthrough,” Ms. Magazine
- We can chip away at rape culture by teaching girls emotional self-defense, Quartz
- “Defend Yourself workshops teach rape prevention,” DCist
- “Do It! With Justin: Best Self-Defense,” MetroWeekly
- “How bystanders can help groping victims,” Washington City Paper
- “Five self-defense moves you can practice at home,” Washingtonian
- “5 self-defense tips every woman should know,” The Girlfriend from AARP
- “Crime uptick in and near Capitol Hill drives some to learn self-defense skills,” The Washington Post
- “We’ve been teaching women to defend themselves all wrong,” Washingtonian
Selected news coverage: Safe Bars
- “How bartenders fight harassment and workplace violence,” CNN
- “When Harassment Is the Price of a Job,” The Nation
- and Slate, NPR, Wine & Spirits, Imbibe, The Spirits Business, Tales of the Cocktail, Restaurant Hospitality, and more!
Selected publications
- “What to say — and what not to say — when someone tells you they have been sexually assaulted,” The Lily (The Washington Post)
- “Don’t laugh: I have a serious reason for raising my cats gender-neutral,” The Washington Post
- “Alcohol isn’t the cause of campus sexual assault. Men are.” The Washington Post
- “No, catcalling is not an attempt to ‘be nice,’” The Washington Post
- “The Assertive Response to ‘Hey Baby,’” The Washington Post
- “Why It Can Be Hard To Say ‘No’ And How To Do It Anyways,” Everyday Feminism
- “The Power of Feminist Self-Defense,” Ms. Magazine
- “How Do YOU Respond to Street Harassment? Here Are Some Suggestions,” Ms. Blog
- “Walking Out on Spouse Abuse,” Washington Post
- “Memo to White Women: Don’t Be George Zimmerman,” Everyday Feminism
- “Actually, Miss USA is right: Self-defense can prevent sexual assaults,” The Washington Post
Book a speaker
Defend Yourself’s director, Lauren Taylor, and its crew of smart, experienced trainers offer lively, interactive presentations on solutions to gender-based violence. Audiences leave with new perspectives and practical skills they can use right away.
Sample topics include:
- Empowerment self-defense for stopping harassment, abuse, and assault
- Safe on the streets: Skills for dealing with harassment in public spaces
- Active bystander skills for stopping hate
- Creating safe and respectful workplace cultures
- De-escalation skills for public-facing workers
Selected speaking engagements
Selected speaking engagements
- Creating Change (The National LGBTQ Task Force)
- National Conference of College Women Leaders (American Association of University Women)
- National Sexual Assault Conference
- National Center for Victims of Crime’s national training institute
- American Society for Microbiology/Microbe
Donate to help us reach more people with these life-changing skills
Your contribution to Defend Yourself helps us empower people to stop harassment, abuse, and assault and lead safer, more authentic lives!
Most of our workshops are offered on a sliding scale, and no one is turned away for inability to pay. Your gift will enable us to include more people.
Donate in any amount by clicking the button below using a credit card or PayPal. If you’d like to send a check or use Zelle, please contact us. Donations to Defend Yourself are not tax deductible.
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