Feminist Self-Defense

Too often, self-defense courses are taught by big scary men, whose objective is to make you feel vulnerable. The message is, without learning and mastering their techniques, you are just asking to be assaulted.

Feminist Self-Defense is different. As a woman, I know that people vulnerable to power-based violence don’t need to be reminded of our vulnerability. It’s something we experience everyday. Instead, my goal is to create a safe and fun environment where participants can learn to identify their boundaries, and gain skills to set and enforce those boundaries both verbally and physically.

Feminist Self-Defense is welcoming to all, regardless of gender identity, age or ability.

Feminist Self-Defense workshops are fun, affirming and welcoming to people of all genders, ages and abilities. Sessions provide verbal, emotional and physical strategies based in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to navigate a range of threatening interactions.

Students learn through a combination of interactive discussion, role-plays, boundary-setting exercises and hands-on physical self-defense instruction.

Participants learn more than how to fight off an attacker. They build skills to create healthier relationships, navigate difficult interactions with more ease, and ultimately reduce their risk of sexual assault

Every workshop includes instruction on how to:

Harness the power of body language
Recognize and interrupt micro boundary violations
Understand and communicate boundaries
Stay out of the “danger zone” in a violent encounter
Escape physical control and get to safety

About Rachel

Rachel Piazza is a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Professor Murilo Santana at Unity Jiu-Jitsu School in New York City.

She is also an Adjunct Professor of Women’s & Gender Studies at New Jersey City University.

Combining her expertise, Rachel founded Feminist Self-Defense in 2014. Her research-based and trauma-informed workshops have reached thousands nationwide, and caught the attention of numerous media outlets, including ESPN and The New York Times.

Rachel truly loves teaching and inspiring others to discover their power.

Rachel teaches Feminist Self-Defense on college campuses all over the country. She can teach students directly, or can train staff to teach Feminist Self-Defense through her recently launched Train-the-Trainer program.
Feminist Self-Defense can be a great team-building and skills-building activity in the workplace. Rachel has worked with a diverse set of organizations, teaching boundary-setting skills to enhance lives in and out of the office.
If you’re local to NYC, you can take private or semi-private classes with Rachel at her Union Square location. If training in person isn’t possible, she also offers classes via zoom.

Research on the Efficacy and Benefits of ESD

There is robust research on the efficacy of empowerment self-defense! Below, you’ll find some of this research!

Empowerment self-Defense faq

Empowerment-Based Training Is One ApproachIdentified in CDC’s STOP-SV Technical Package

Does self-defense training prevent sexual violence against women?

Empowerment Self-Defense Training in a Community Population

The importance of self-defense training for sexual violence prevention

What Works? Critical Components of Effective Sexual Violence Interventions for Women on College and University Campuses

Women's self-defense and sexual assault resistance: The state of the field

Updates

Feminist Self-Defense Launches Train-the-Trainer Pilot Program at Baylor University!

Expanding the impact

After years of teaching Feminist Self-Defense workshops directly to students on campuses nationwide, Feminist Self-Defense has begun to expand its impact through a Train-the-Trainer model being piloted at Baylor University.

Twelve of Baylor’s Equity, Civil Rights & Title IX staff members graduated a week-long training to facilitate Feminist Self-Defense workshops on campus during the 2023/2024 school year.

These amazing folks are now bringing their own unique personalities and skillsets to the Feminist Self-Defense curriculum. By having trained facilitators on campus, Baylor is equipped to address students’ needs in real time and provide regular, and ongoing prevention programming.