Every Woman Should Take a Self-Defense Class

By Fran DeNunzio

A few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to sign up to take a self-defense class with an organization on campus. I thought it would be interesting to learn some techniques on how to defend myself, but as soon as I had started the class, I realized just how unequipped I had previously been to protect myself in the event of danger. As women, we don’t have the liberty to assume that we are safe in any given situation. In fact, we are often conditioned by our parents to never go somewhere alone or to always have a buddy with you. Even if you are simply going to the bathroom, being alone and being a woman makes you vulnerable. Worldwide, one in three women experiences some form of violence. That is a terrifying statistic. It can be really overwhelming knowing that simply because of our gender, we are at risk of danger. Because of that, we must do what we can to protect ourselves in the event of violence. 

I think it is important that every woman takes a self-defense class. Self-defense classes provide you with the knowledge and skills to protect yourself in any given situation where your safety is jeopardized. We cannot always depend on having our pepper spray with us or even be sure that it will be working in the event of having to use it. Because of this, we need to understand how to defend ourselves using our own strength and body as a weapon. Self-defense classes help to increase your awareness when you are in unfamiliar situations. You learn how to assess a potentially dangerous situation so that you exit safely to best protect yourself. These classes also help to increase your confidence because you gain the physical and emotional knowledge necessary to prepare you for unexpected situations. Taking a self-defense class will boost your self-esteem because you will gain the ability to defend yourself, and potentially others, by yourself. These classes will show you what you are capable of which is really empowering.

If you didn’t know, Villanova Public Safety offers self-defense classes for the campus. Debra Patch, the Deputy Chief of Police and Associate Director of Public Safety, helps to plan and run these classes. She can work with you to set up classes that fit with your schedule but allow you to still learn the necessary elements of self-defense so that you can be best equipped to protect yourself. If you are interested in setting up a class, you can reach out to her through email: debra.patch@villanova.edu.