Defending Ourselves is a site exploring self-defense programming available to university women in the Chicagoland area. Self defense includes verbal and nonverbal skills. Some programs are inspired more by martial arts and others combine physical skills with nonverbal exercises such as talk therapy and training to combat verbal assaults.

Here you will find conversations with student participants, program directors and other people involved in these decisions that affect so many young lives. What are the reasons for self-defense programming cutbacks? How are young women affected (positively or negatively) by programming that is in force in Chicago schools?

Over time, Defending Ourselves will visit other cities and explore self-defense programming in those locations. Is the situation better or worse nationwide? We welcome your feedback, no matter where you live.

Defending Ourselves is organized by Nicole V. Rohr, reporter for the Medill News Service and graduate student at Northwestern University’s Medill School. Born in Birmingham, Alabama, Nicole attended a small, private college near her home. Following two on-campus assaults, she began exploring how other schools handle similar situations and how college administrations address the issue of self defense.

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