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Why Should I Take Self-Defense?
How Can I Attend a Class? What will I Learn? What if I’m not Very Strong, or Have a Physical Limitation? What if I’ve been Raped or Sexually Assaulted Before? Participants' Self-Defense Experiences Is it Fun? Related Workshops Back to Safety & Self-Defense Back to What's Your Concern? |
The Center for Women & Men provides Sexual Violence Prevention and Education
to the campus
in conjunction with the UCLA Police Department. As part of that program, self-defense
classes are available in the Fall, Winter and Spring quarters through the Center for Women
& Men. The classes are FREE to UCLA students, staff and faculty and taught by certified
instructors from the Los Angeles Commission on Assaults Against Women (LACAAW). The
classes are conveniently located on campus. To find out when the next class will be offered,
please link to Upcoming
Events. For personal safety tips please link to
Keeping Yourself Safe. Why Should I Take Self-Defense?
Taking self-defense is a way of taking care of yourself. By learning self-defense techniques
you are sending the message, to others and to yourself, that you value your safety. Learning
and implementing self-defense is like locking your doors at home to prevent robbery. It
can’t guarantee your safety, but it can certainly enhance your chances of remaining safe.How Can I Attend a Class?
Stop by the Center for Women & Men in the Student Activities Center,
Suite B44 and sign up for a class and sign a release
form. You must sign up in order to attend a class.On the day of the class bring your Bruin Card and go to the location - be sure to wear comfortable clothes that you can move around in and don’t mind getting dirty (you’ll be sitting on the floor and some of the techniques involve lying on the floor as well). It is also recommended that you wear closed toe shoes, such as tennis shoes. Classes are four hours long, but will include occasional breaks. What will I learn?
Each class differs in the exact information, but the general outline is the same. During the
first part of the class the instructor will talk about Awareness, which includes facts about
sexual assault and information that’s useful to know. Then you’ll learn some verbal
self-defense techniques that can help you avoid an assault. Finally, the last half of the
class will focus on physical self-defense techniques. During this part you’ll learn how to
get out of different types of grabs, perform strikes and kicks, and techniques for fighting
on the ground.What if I’m not Very Strong, or Have a Physical Limitation?
You don’t have to be a bodybuilder or have experience in a martial art. The instructor will
help you learn techniques that you feel comfortable with and can easily do, within your range
of physical strength or abilities.What if I’ve been Raped or Sexually Assaulted Before?
Survivors of sexual assault often feel nervous or scared about going to a self-defense class
because they’re worried they might have a flashback or be told they didn’t defend themselves
properly when they were assaulted. The self-defense instructors from LACAAW have all been
trained to help survivors of sexual assault feel comfortable in learning self-defense and
are sensitive to each of the participants’ individual needs. If a class brings up issues
for you and you need to talk to someone, please come by the Center for Women & Men and talk
to a counselor there.Participants Self-Defense Experiences
“I hadn’t been to a self-defense class in a few years, so I decided to go to one provided
through the Center for Women & Men. I really enjoyed the class and learned a
number of new
techniques - now I know how to get away if someone tries to choke me, grab my wrist, or pin
me to the ground! The instructor was very knowledgeable, explained things clearly, and was
patient in helping everyone learn the techniques. Overall, the class was really empowering
and made me feel that I could defend myself if I needed to.” - female grad student, age 25“I thought it was really self-empowering. I felt like in going in…I was really always scared to walk by myself at night, or go into a parking structure alone, even in my own apartment building. I would bring with me pepper spray, my roommate’s field hockey stick, just hoping I wouldn’t be attacked. After the class, I still have some fear going out by myself without someone with me, but I do feel a little bit more secure and, like I said, empowered. I feel like I have the ability to know what to do if I was put in a situation where I needed to act fast.” - female undergraduate student, age 22 “I was hesitant to take the class because I am someone who has a hard time picturing myself using fighting techniques. I had always pictured myself giving in to the attacker. Taking the class really did give me a greater feeling of confidence and the belief that I would be able to defend myself if necessary. Not only was this an empowering experience, but the educational component about avoiding dangerous situations helps focus on avoiding situations in which we are more likely to have to defend ourselves.” - female graduate student, age 26 “I am a middle-aged woman with very limited upper body strength. I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to keep up. I realize now that the techniques I learned aren’t dependent on strength. I can’t tell you how glad I am that I went. I know now that I could have a real impact on protecting myself if I have to. I also learned important information about avoiding a physical confrontation in the first place.” - female staff member, age 51 Is it Fun?
Yes! Although talking about sexual assault can be sobering, the techniques themselves are
fun and easy to learn - many find the class not only empowering, but also truly enjoyable.Related Workshops
Assertiveness training and Car Maintenance can also be an excellent ways to learn to protect
your personal safety. To find out when the next workshops will be, please link to
Upcoming Events.
For personal safety tips please link to
Keeping Yourself Safe.
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