U-M students, faculty and staff are invited to take control of their personal safety by learning physical and verbal strategies to counter violence through our empowerment self-defense workshops.

The workshops, led by Sexual Harassment and Rape Prevention (SHARP)-certified instructors, aim to teach participants situational awareness and prevention skills to leave them better equipped to deal with everything from harassment to potentially violent people to sexual assault. Participants will take part in verbal exercises, physical drills and discussion.

Why take an empowerment self-defense workshop?

• Improve your situational awareness skills
• Identify threatening situations
• Learn physical and verbal strategies to counter violence
• Build Self-Confidence
• Develop decision-making skills

How can I sign up for a workshop?

• Sign up through Rec Sports. DPSS has partnered with Rec Sports to offer workshops.
  
  Rec Sports @ 505 Hoover
  • Monday January 29, 4:30pm-6pm - Self Defense
  • Thursday, February 8, 5pm-6:30pm - Aerobic Boxing
  • Wednesday, February 14, 3:30pm-5pm - Self-Defense
  • Wednesday, March 6, 6pm-7:30pm - Pressure Points
  • Monday, March 18, 4pm-5:30pm - Ground Defense
  • Tuesday, April 9, 5pm-6:30pm - Boxing w/strike pads
  • Thursday, April 18, 5:30pm-7pm - Pressure Points
  Kinesiology - Community Programs
  Kinesiology Building, 830 N. University Ave, room #4600
  
  Winter Semester
  • Wednesday, January 28, 2024 - 5pm-7pm
  • Thursday, March 21st, 2024 - 5pm-7pm
• Request a department or student organization presentation. DPSS regularly provides group presentations free of charge to students, faculty and staff on a variety of safety and well-being issues, including empowerment and self-defense. If you're interested in hosting a presentation for your department or student organization, fill out our request form or email dpss-safety-security@umich.edu.