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Why do women take self-defense classes?

Jocelyn A Hollander1

  • 1Department of Sociology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403-1291, USA. jocelynh@uoregon.edu

Violence Against Women
|March 13, 2010
PubMed
Summary

Women enroll in self-defense classes due to friends' recommendations, future self-visions, and fear of violence. Logistical barriers like time and cost prevent enrollment for many interested women.

Area of Science:

  • Social psychology
  • Women's studies
  • Criminology

Background:

  • Self-defense training offers significant benefits for women's safety and empowerment.
  • Understanding motivations for enrollment is crucial for promoting participation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the primary reasons why university women enroll in self-defense classes.
  • To identify barriers preventing women from enrolling in self-defense programs.

Main Methods:

  • Longitudinal study utilizing data from university women.
  • Analysis of self-reported reasons for enrollment and consideration of self-defense classes.

Main Results:

  • Top reasons for enrollment include social influence (friends' recommendations), aspirational "possible selves," and fear of violence.

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  • Past experiences of assault were infrequently cited as a motivator for enrollment.
  • Many women considered self-defense but faced logistical barriers (time, cost, class availability).

    • Conclusions:

    • Enrollment in self-defense is driven by proactive motivations and social factors, rather than solely reactive responses to victimization.
    • Addressing logistical barriers is key to increasing access and participation in women's self-defense training.