Women's Self Defense Medford

Our women’s self-defense program and classes are located less than 15 minutes from the center of Medford. The full program utilizes a blended learning methodology where the personal safety component is taught online, with the physical self-defense component comprising of a basic 90-minute hands on/physical seminar, where the information that is provided online is put into context, using scenario-based training. The online, personal safety lessons, teach preventative measures to decrease the risk of victimization, whilst the physical hands-on seminar/class, teaches physical solutions to deal with real-life violence.

The program focuses on three types of aggression and violence that tend to target and affect women more than men. These are: rape and sexual assaults, abusive partners, and stalking. Our rape and sexual assaults module looks at the processes and methods that sexual predators use to gain access to those they target and victimize. By understanding how predatory individuals work and operate, it is possible to prevent, predict and identify the steps and stages they must go through in order to commit an act of violence. Whilst our module on intimate partner violence is not intended to teach and inform individuals in such relationships how to manage them and mitigate risks etc., it does look at how to recognize and identify the early warning signs of a relationship that may develop into an abusive one. These signs are not always clear and can sometimes be confusing. Abusive relationships rarely start this way, and often they can appear to be stable and safe, however there are several warnings signs which if recognized could indicate the direction in which the relationship is heading. When a partner leaves a troubled relationship, it is not uncommon for the other partner to engage in some form of stalking campaign. Our stalkers and stalking module looks at what drives such individuals to engage in these aggressive and harmful acts, along with tactics and strategies to deal with them.

Our program is research and evidentially based, using the latest studies and research into these different areas. The program has been designed by criminologist Gershon Ben Keren, who has been working in this field since the early 1990’s. Rather than being a program that prescribes a list of rules e.g., don’t do this, always do this etc. the program teaches individuals how to understand the pre-violence indicators that signal where a situation is going, and how to safely disengage, before it develops into a physically violent one. The self-defense solutions taught are simple and effective and are designed to create opportunities where/when it is safe to disengage from an aggressor and get to safety.

You can learn more about the program, and see upcoming dates for classes and seminars, by visiting our dedicated women’s self defense website which can be accessed by clicking here.