Registration for free introductory classes from Rose City Self-Defense is now open for the months of March and April. The program “empowers girls, women and the LGBTQ+ community, with a focus on engaging communities of color, people with disabilities, folks with unstable housing, as well as safety for sex worker.”
The city of Portland has offered classes like these since 1979, teaching skills to ~40,000 women and teenage girls. The holistic approach incorporates listening to your intuition, negotiating consent, boundary setting, and assertiveness, with fighting as a last resort.
Additional personal safety workshops are available. Through non-physical discussions, attendees will go over attack prevention strategies, how to recognize warning signs, deescalation training, and more. Sessions can be tailored to your specific affinity group.
If you’re interested in volunteering as a self-defense instructor with the Community Safety Division, send an email with your name and qualifications.