Defend Yourself

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

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

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How to pick an empowerment self-defense class

Empowerment self-defense is much more than physical skills to resist attack. A good class teaches awareness, assertiveness, as well as physical strikes. These skills can help you prevent, escape, resist, survive, and heal from assault, abuse, or harassment.

In picking a class, look for a program or an instructor who:

  • Knows that abuse and assault are never the victim’s fault. People don’t ask for, cause, or invite assault, nor do they deserve to be assaulted. Someone may exercise poor judgment about safety, but that doesn’t make them responsible for an attack, and it doesn’t mean they deserve to be attacked. Attackers are responsible for their attacks and their use of violence, threats, intimidation, coercion, or substances to overpower, control, or abuse another person.
  • Knows the facts about gender-based violence and tailors their classes to this reality. For example, a good class will emphasize situations involving acquaintances and romantic partners, as these are the most common.
  • Knows the emotional realities of women’s and LGBTQ+ people’s lives and is able to work with each student where they are. For example, a good teacher can adapt verbal and physical techniques to each student’s strengths and challenges; they won’t have a one-size-fits-all program.
  • ssh1Respects each person’s decisions on how to handle dangerous or threatening situations and doesn’t blame or judge survivors. They will offer techniques, knowledge, and strategies to help students make their own decisions about how to handle situations. They don’t tell students what they should or shouldn’t do.
  • Helps students empower themselves not only in the practice of self-defense but also in the program itself. For example, students should be free to decide their levels of participation in the class, and no one should feel pressured into doing specific exercises.
  • Has a holistic approach, addressing the whole spectrum of gender-based violence — including harassment, emotional abuse, and other intrusions and control behaviors that are often overlooked — and is holistic in the skills and strategies taught.
  • Aims to equip students with more tools and strategies, and thus creates a learning experience that’s success-based rather than fear-based.
  • Understands how trauma affects survivors and makes learning empowerment self-defense part of the healing process.
  • Engages the power of the group as a powerful tool for learning and support.
  • Tailors their teaching to the ages, life experiences, and other characteristics of the student and the group.
  • Understands that gender-based violence is a tool and expression of oppression and is linked to all forms of oppression. Knows that harassment, abuse, and assault are expressions of structural social problems rather than individual issues.
  • Given that gender oppression is linked to all forms of oppression and that students live at the intersections, the teacher or program is explicitly anti-racist in their teaching and content.
  • Believes that to be successful, change must occur on multiple levels, including individual, interpersonal, workplace, community, and societal.

A good teacher or program can make the difference between being scared or discouraged and being excited and empowered to have a larger, more authentic life. You may have to do a little digging to find a class that’s right for you. But when you do, you’ll find it life-transforming!

(Thanks to the National Coalition Against Sexual Assault for drafting the original document decades ago!)

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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.

Click here to see some of what we offer!

National Street Harassment Hotline

Call toll-free: 855-897-5910
(English + Spanish. 24-7)
Find out more!

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

Lauren is very encouraging and patient. An excellent teacher, she makes everyone feel comfortable.
This class opened a door for me that I didn’t know existed. I know exactly what I would do if I needed to. It was the first time in my life that I felt that. Even if something happened, I would still feel safe in myself.
I wish other women/girls could experience THIS feeling of girrrrlpower, instead of listening to Cosmo and Glamour to tell them where their power lies.
This class exceeded my expectations! I looked forward to class and the chance to practice my skills. I enjoyed the supportive environment and the space to develop strategies for confronting harassment.
I unfortunately had to use some tactics I learned from the workshop, as I was assaulted at the beach this summer. I honestly believe that I avoided a rape because of your training.
The teachers role-modeled being strong women.
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.
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.
Inspiring, caring, understanding, strong, and self-assured.
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.
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Based in Washington, D.C., serving the world

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