WOMEN'S SELF-DEFENSE BOSTONWELCOME TO WOMEN'S SELF-DEFENSE BOSTON
Using The SEPS (Situation Effective Protection System) Method Of Self-ProtectionFree Pepper Spray Seminar (Sunday 24th November, 2024, between 9:30 and 11 AM) Use the button to book your place
About SEPS & Women's Self-Defense Boston
Welcome to SEPS Women’s Self-Defense Boston, a free program, that teaches effective proven self-defense and personal safety. The program is
completely free.
The program consists of a number of 90 minute seminars consisting of physical, hands-on training, where you will train techniques and perform drills
etc., which will equip you with simple
physical solutions to real world violence (including learning skills, such as how to control range, so that you are able to get your self-defense techniques
to work). You will also be directed to online resources to review before coming to an in-person class, and program creator Gershon Ben Keren will answer
questions related to that material; on how to predict, identify and prevent being targeted for violence. Our full/complete program uses blended learning
(a mix of online/virtual and physical classes) so that in-person training time can be used most efficiently. The virtual components are also free, and available
to all, regardless of geography, etc. If you would like to attend one of our hands-on, in-person women’s self-defense classes, please
click here.
What Is The SEPS Approach To Women's Self-Defense?
SEPS, which stands for Situation Effective Protection System, is a framework, for understanding how different violent situations evolve and develop, and how to predict, identify and avoid them – which is the focus of the program. Without the ability to predict and identify violent situations before they develop, you will always be caught unprepared and surprised, which reduces the chances of any physical solution being effective. By learning the predictors and indicators, that precede a violent confrontation, you may have the opportunity to disengage from, or de-escalate a situation before it turns physical, or if not at the very least get yourself into a better position –physically, mentally and emotionally – for dealing with it. To read more about the SEPS approach to self-defense and personal safety click here.
Our program attempts to be both comprehensive and research driven. We look at the situations and contexts within which women are assaulted and formulate responses
based on these, rather than try to fit/force a particular self-defense system, on to reality. Everything we teach is supported by an online component, so that those
attending classes can revise and expand, on the subject matter discussed. Our program is modular, and each module can be taken as a stand-alone class, allowing for
them to be taken, in any order, and out of turn – we recognize that if this type of training is to be effective, it needs to fit into your personal schedule.
We have been offering our free program in Boston, since 2011, and have trained thousands of women in the Boston and Greater Boston area, in how to avoid and deal with violent assaults. We also run an annual Campus Safety seminar, which teaches young women going off to university for the first time, how to avoid and deal with violence. We receive no funding or assistance for these programs, and offer them as a service to our community. We urge you to take a class, see the difference that it makes in your life, and share the knowledge with female friends and family members so that they not only feel safer, but are safer.
Location
SEPS Women's Self-Defense Boston, is located, at the following address, just North of Boston off of I-93 North (exit 30) and I-95 South (exit 54).
Women's Self-Defense Boston Instructors
Gershon Ben Keren
Gershon is a criminologist, security professional and self-defense instructor, who has been teaching women's self-defense since 1990. Unfortunately, much of what is being taught today has not changed since then, even though our understanding of violence against women has, as more serious research has been conducted, and many myths and stereotypes have become debunked. Taking an academic and evidentially based approach using peer-reviewed research, and his experience working in the security industry Gershon has designed a program that reflects the risks that modern day women face...
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Liz Berrien
Liz has been teaching the SEPS (Situation Effective Protective System) Women's Self-Defense Program in Boston, Massachusetts since 2012, with a focus on the physical component of the program i.e., teaching simple and straightforward solutions to violence, that can be recalled and executed under the stress and duress of a real-life violent assault. She has also been involved in the teaching of the Women's Self-Defense Boston regular annual Campus Safety seminar, that the program delivers to young womens going to college/university for the first time...
Read MoreHow Our Program Is Structured
Our complete program is taught using blended learning. Our Self-Protection and Personal Safety part is taught virtually through a free online course, that can be accessed by clicking here. Our advice is that this is worked through before taking an in-person class (though this is not a pre-requisite), so that you have an understanding of where the physical self-defense piece fits in to our self-protection and personal safety approach. There are then three physical modules: one teaching basic self-defense, another teaching the use of defensive sprays e.g., pepper spray, and a final module, that puts all of the training into a variety of contexts and scenarios using Redman protective suits.
101 - Introduction To Women's Self-Defense
This 101 women’s self-defense module, as well as teaching some simple, straightforward, and proven techniques and solutions to violence, also uses drills and
other training methods that help build the skills to get these techniques to work e.g., how to control range and distance, and create time and space etc.
Our goal is to teach you how to prevent an attacker doing what they want to you, and then to get away. In 90-minutes we believe that this is both realistic
and achievable. Using concepts and principles to inform decision making and responses, it is possible to teach a few techniques and solutions that can be
used against a wide variety of threats and attacks. Whilst the focus is on dealing with male-on-female aggression and violence, we also look at
female-on-female scenarios. If you are interested in attending one of these free women’s self-defense classes, please use the button below.
102 - The Use Of Defensive Sprays (OC/CS Sprays)
In Massachusetts, Pepper Spray is both legal to buy and carry, if you are 18 plus (it can’t however be sent in the mail, so you can’t buy it on Amazon or any other online retailer).
Pepper spray isn’t just a great women’s self-defense tool, it’s a great tool for everyone regardless of gender etc. However, there are several different types of sprays, which
have different pros and cons, as well as different percentages and SHU values (Scoville Heat Unit). Also there are a number of different ways – along with mistakes in the way a
spray may be deployed – that sprays can be used depending on contextual and environmental factors. In these classes we introduce attendees to different types of spray and their
use, and run drills with inert units, so that those attending get to practice with sprays under a degree of stress and duress.
103 - Scenario-Based Training
This session is designed to put individuals under a certain degree of stress and duress, in
order to replicate some of the emotional and psychological conditions that are present
in real-life encounters. While developing physical skills takes time (if individuals are
interested in undertaking a full self-defense program, we recommend enrolling in our
ongoing Krav Maga classes), there is a value to having an emotional reference point, to
what a real-life attack feels like. To do these we use protective suits, so that those
training can use force against a non-compliant instructor. These training sessions also
introduce students to scenario-based training, where those involved get to make sense
of scenarios, identify threatening and non-threatening behaviors etc., along with
practicing effective decision making. To attend these women’s self-defense classes, it is
necessary to have completed both our 101, and 102, sessions/classes, as these lay out the
process for identifying harmful intent, so that one can avoid an attack if possible, or
better engage with one, if not.