During my freshman year of college, I had the opportunity to take a self-defense class. At the time, I was working for my university’s women’s center, who hosted the class. I had never really thought of taking a self-defense class but I had heard about it from my fellow employees and other students at the center. So, without many expectations, I decided I might as well try it out.

The course I took was called IMPACT. It’s a personal safety, assertiveness, and self-defense training program that is a part of a comprehensive effort to prevent sexual assault and other acts of interpersonal violence and boundary violations. It was a one-credit, three-day class that was held on my campus by the Women’s Center.

This class didn’t only teach me how to defend myself in dangerous, life-threatening situations. It taught me how to stand up for myself and own my womanhood. I was taught these important skills through realistic scenarios. Although at times this was scary, I kept telling myself it was nothing close to actually being attacked, which many people have gone through.

There were many individuals in my class who had experienced sexual assault. They chose to take a self-defense class to prevent something like that from ever happening again. These women told their survivor stories, which were devastating, but also inspiring. These survivors are so brave for staying strong despite their circumstances and they inspired me to work hard in this course.

My group was taught self-defense through simulations of physical and non-physical boundary violations. One instructor coached us while another instructor portrayed the role of an aggressor or assailant.

I was also taught the importance of communication strategies such as verbal de-escalation, assertive communication, and boundary setting. These may not be skills you thought you would need, but they are more important than you think. Knowing these skills can help prevent being sexually assaulted because you are setting boundaries and standing your ground during a situation that could potentially go bad.

I was able to protect myself using full force physical techniques in these realistic scenarios. Instructors wear a suit of full body armor specially designed for students to strike vulnerable areas of an assailant’s body. Using my full power and protecting myself made me feel so invigorated, a feeling I had never felt so strongly before.

Taking a self-defense class allowed me to increase my self-confidence and skills while also enhancing my sense of personal power. Before taking this class, I was unconfident with my abilities to protect myself, but now I have no doubt in my skills. The feeling that I have the power to defend myself from anyone, anytime has increased my self-confidence so much. I finally have faith in my abilities.

I also now feel safer because I know that the natural movements and instincts that were trained in my class will make it easier for me to utilize them in stressful, real-life situations. My awareness has increased a lot as well. This training has helped me become more aware of my surroundings by sharpening my instincts so I can watch my surroundings.

The goal of a self-defense class is not only learning to fight back in the event of an attack. The main goal is learning how to prevent or avoid an attack, as well as how to remove yourself from any situations that feel uncomfortable. I gained so much from taking a self-defense class and it really impacted me in a positive way.

It is important to realize that you never know what kind of situation you could be in, therefore knowing self-defense techniques is so important. Along with learning self-defense techniques, you will make friends in your class, gain self-confidence, and become a stronger woman.

By doing a simple Google search, you can find many opportunities to take a self-defense class. Many universities, community centers, and church groups offer periodic classes, as well as your local YMCA or gym. You can also check with your local women’s shelters to see if they have information about any self-defense class offerings. This can be a good place to find different classes to learn how to protect yourself.