Defend Yourself

Specialties

Defend Yourself works to empower people to end violence and create a world where they can be fully themselves. We have classes for everyone, no matter what your age or ability. Whether you’re dealing with street harassment, going off to college, healing from abuse, or any other challenge, we offer skills you can use.

Meet the Business Owner

Lauren T.

Business Owner

Lauren has been studying and teaching self-​defense since 1985. She has taught classes to about 20,000 people of all ages and genders and of all walks of life. She specializes in classes for women, for people with disabilities, for LGBTQ/​gender nonconforming people, and for survivors of abuse and assault.

Lauren earned a black belt in tae kwon do in 1995 and was certified as a self-​defense instructor by the National Women’s Martial Arts Federation in 2000. Her self-​defense expertise is bolstered by her experience in related fields: as a counselor at a women’s clinic; a founder of My Sister’s Place (DC’s shelter for battered women and their children); the education coordinator of the Women’s Legal Defense Fund; and as one of the organizers of the 1978 March to Stop Violence Against Women (DC’s first Take Back the Night March). Lauren also writes extensively on interpersonal violence.