Smart ways women can defend themselves safely
Gulshen Bano is the founder and CEO of Strike Back Self Defence for Women, the world’s largest women-only self defence organisation. Strike Back was created from lived experience and a recognition that women are constantly told to ‘be careful’ but rarely given the practical skills, awareness and confidence that help keep them safe.
Through a global network of trained female instructors, Strike Back teaches women and girls simple, practical self-protection skills rooted in awareness, voice, boundaries and real-world scenarios rather than sport or martial arts competition.
The mission is simple but powerful: to give women the knowledge, confidence and practical tools to recognise danger early, trust their instincts and protect themselves when it matters most. Gulshen was recently on Dragon’s Den and secured investment from Jenna Meek.
- 10 signs you’re dating a narcissist and what to do
- Struggling with confidence? These simple tricks will bring out your stronger self
Why this matters more than ever
Violence against women and girls is now widely recognised as a national and global crisis. In the UK alone, statistics consistently show that one in three women will experience violence in their lifetime, yet despite increasing public discussion and policy announcements, many women still feel that meaningful change is painfully slow.
For millions of women, safety is not an abstract issue. It is something they think about every day – when walking home, travelling for work, meeting someone new, or simply existing in public spaces.
As Gulshen explains: ‘Violence against women and girls is now being described as an epidemic, and yet many women still feel the responsibility for their safety falls almost entirely on their own shoulders. We hear more conversations from governments, agencies and institutions about tackling violence against women, but on the ground many women still feel the systems designed to protect them are failing them.
‘That gap is exactly why the work we do exists. Women should never be responsible for the violence committed against them, but they absolutely deserve the skills, confidence and awareness that helps them recognise danger early and protect themselves if they need to. At Strike Back we’re not teaching women to live in fear. We’re teaching them to live with awareness, confidence and the knowledge that they have options.’
‘The reality is that women are already adjusting their behaviour every single day to stay safe. What we’re doing is giving them the tools and confidence that match that reality.
‘Women are constantly given advice about how to avoid danger, but very rarely are we given the tools that help us recognise risk early and respond confidently when something feels wrong.
‘This work isn’t about teaching women to fight. It’s about teaching women how to trust themselves, use their voice, recognise red flags and remove themselves from situations before they escalate.
‘Personal safety is not paranoia. It’s awareness, and awareness is one of the most powerful tools a woman can have.
‘At Strike Back we teach women something very simple, your instincts exist for a reason. If something feels wrong, it probably is. In a world where one in three women will experience violence in their lifetime, learning personal safety skills should be considered as essential as learning to swim.’
5 practical personal safety tips every woman should know
1. The best safety tool you have is your instinct – learn to trust it
One of the most common things we hear from women in our classes is, I knew something felt wrong, but I didn’t want to seem rude.’
Women are often conditioned to prioritise politeness over personal safety. We worry about offending someone, appearing dramatic, or misjudging a situation. Unfortunately, many offenders rely on this exact hesitation.
Your instinct is your brain processing subtle cues extremely quickly – tone of voice, body language, proximity, behaviour patterns. Even if you cannot immediately explain why something feels wrong, that feeling matters.
If a situation feels uncomfortable, you do not need evidence to justify removing yourself from it. Cross the street, leave the space, get into a shop, make a call. Trusting your instinct early is one of the most effective ways to prevent situations from escalating. Your safety is always more important than someone else’s feelings.
2. Use your voice early – not just when things escalate
Many people assume self-defence starts when someone physically attacks you. The most effective self-protection often happens long before physical contact occurs.
Your voice is one of the most powerful tools you have and a clear, confident verbal boundary such as: ‘Stop, back away, I said no’ can immediately disrupt someone’s behaviour and draw attention from others nearby.
Predatory behaviour often relies on isolation and silence and when a woman becomes loud, assertive and visible, it changes the dynamic completely, so practising these matters.
Many women have never been encouraged to raise their voice in public. In our classes we teach women to use strong verbal commands confidently because that moment of clarity can stop situations from escalating.
Your voice is not aggressive, it is protective.
3. Pay attention to behaviour that crosses boundaries early
One of the biggest misconceptions about personal safety is that danger appears suddenly. In reality, inappropriate behaviour often begins with smaller boundary violations, and this can include:
- Standing unnecessarily close
- Ignoring a polite refusal
- Pressuring you to stay, talk or drink
- Attempting to isolate you from others
- Touching your arm or shoulder despite your discomfort
These behaviours are sometimes dismissed as awkwardness or persistence, but they are often early indicators that someone does not respect boundaries.
Recognising these signals early allows you to respond early and moving away, ending the conversation or clearly stating your boundary is far easier at this stage than when behaviour escalates.
Trust what you are observing because your comfort matters as does your safety.
4. Create small safety habits when moving through everyday spaces
Personal safety is rarely about dramatic moments. It is usually about small, consistent habits that reduce vulnerability in everyday situations.
Simple examples include:
- Being aware of your surroundings rather than fully distracted by your phone
- Not allowing someone to walk you to your car if you do not know them
- Keeping physical distance when speaking to strangers
- Positioning yourself near exits when entering unfamiliar environments
- Letting someone know your location when travelling alone
These habits are not about living in fear but rather they are about maintaining awareness and control of your environment.
At Strike Back we often say that safety is not one big decision – it is a series of small decisions that keep you in control.
5. Confidence and boundaries are just as important as physical skills
Many people think self-defence means learning how to throw punches or perform complicated techniques, but the most important skills are psychological.
Confidence in your voice.
Confidence in saying no.
Confidence in leaving a situation.
Women are often taught to minimise themselves – to be agreeable, accommodating and non-confrontational and unfortunately, this conditioning can make it harder to assert boundaries when they matter most. Learning personal safety changes that dynamic and it allows women to recognise that they are allowed to take up space, set boundaries and prioritise their own safety.
Self-defence is not about becoming aggressive, it is about becoming confident enough to protect your own boundaries.
As we say at Strike Back: ‘Self-defence isn’t about fighting. It’s about knowing when something isn’t right and having the confidence to act on it.’ Find out more about classes at Strike Back.
Read more:
