LGBTQ Self Defence Training & Personal Safety Workshops

In the UK and many countries across the world, homophobic and transphobic hate crimes are on the rise and have been for years.

Verbal attacks, harassment, stalking and violent assault are sadly part of life for many lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people.

We deliver LGBTQ self defence training and workshops for community organisations, student groups, workplaces and universities. Our self defence classes provide a safe environment to learn an empowering life skill.

We focus on the psychological aspects of self defence and personal safety - as we believe these are key to being aware of and avoiding dangerous situations.

The physical self defence techniques we teach are simple yet effective and are suitable for anyone of any age, size, strength, fitness level or ability.

If you’d prefer to learn privately at your own pace, we also offer a Self Defence for the LGBTQ+ Community online course based on the same principles we teach in our workshops.

LGBTQ+ EXPERIENCES OF VIOLENCE

In the 2023 report into sexual violence against LGBT+ people by GALOP (the UK’s LGBT+ anti-abuse charity), their survey of 1000 people found that since the age of 18:

• 88% of LGBT+ people had experienced sexual harassment

• 77% of LGBT+ people had experienced sexual assault

• 79% of LGBT+ survivors surveyed indicated that they were sexually abused by someone known to them

• The three most frequently named perpetrators of sexual violence who were known to the LGBT+ survivor were a partner or ex-partner (30%), an acquaintance (18%) and a friend (15%)

• Around 1 in 6 LGBT+ survey respondents reported being sexually abused by a stranger.

Statistics and personal accounts of violence against LGBTQ+ people speak for themselves.

Some officials say these rising figures are because of better reporting of attacks, but we know that reported crime is just the tip of the iceberg.

Many people from the LGBTQ+ community do not want to come forward to report crimes against them as they are concerned about how they will be treated.

We want to create an open dialogue about violence and what is happening in the real world and offer sources of support and education about how to stay safe and avoid the trauma of an attack or abuse.

LGBTQ+ GROUPS WE HAVE TRAINED IN SELF DEFENCE

We have delivered LGBTQ self defence workshops for a range of community organisations, student groups and workplace networks.

WHAT PEOPLE SAY

Here’s what one organisation said after one of our LGBTQ self defence workshops:

“We partnered with Streetwise Defence to deliver a personal safety and self-defence workshop for Just Eat, run through our LGBT committee in recognition of Trans Awareness Week — and it was genuinely outstanding.

Dene was fantastic: knowledgeable, trauma-aware, and able to tailor the session perfectly to our audience while keeping everything inclusive and accessible. The workshop struck a great balance between practical techniques, real-world scenarios, and empowering guidance.

The delivery was smooth and engaging throughout, and we had great chemistry collaborating on the session. Our colleagues left feeling more confident, informed, and supported.

Highly recommend Streetwise Defence to any organisation looking for meaningful, inclusive training that truly resonates.”

Josh Alviar, Just Eat Takeaway

LGBTQ SELF DEFENCE TRAINING & wORKSHOPS

We deliver LGBTQ self defence workshops for community organisations, universities, student groups and workplace networks.

We work with a diverse range of groups at times, locations and in formats that work for you.

• Evening and weekend sessions available

• Training in your venue or somewhere local to you

• Classes last between 1 hour and 3.5 hours

• Online classes for your community group via Zoom or Teams

Take a look at the class outline on our group self defence page to see the areas we cover in our training.

We are always sensitive to the background of people we train and are very aware that some people from the LGBTQ+ community will have experienced attacks and trauma.

If you’d like to find out more, please email us with some info about your group and we’ll be in touch to discuss costs and options.

TRAUMA-INFORMED SELF DEFENCE INSTRUCTOR

Your lead self defence instructor is Dene Josham (pictured here with Co-Founder Julie Waite).

Dene has a Level 5 qualification in trauma as well as a 30 year career in the security industry, including:

• Celebrity bodyguard to A-list stars such as Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie and Russell Crowe

• Providing private security in hostile environments like Iraq and Libya

• Time in The Royal Marines.

Learn Self Defence Online

If you'd prefer to learn privately at your own pace, our Self Defence for the LGBTQ+ Community online course teaches the same principles we cover in our workshops.

The training is built around our Four Pillars of Self Defence — Awareness, Prevention, Mindset and Physical Options.

The course includes demonstrations and scenarios to help you understand how these principles apply in everyday situations.

You'll learn how to recognise danger earlier, trust your instincts and respond with simple, effective techniques designed for real situations.

LGBTQ+ Safety Resources

We’ve also created a detailed guide to LGBTQ+ personal safety and self defence along with a podcast episode exploring these ideas in more depth.

The guide explores practical safety tips for everyday situations, while the podcast shares four key truths about staying safe, setting boundaries, and protecting your identity.

• Read the guide - LGBTQ+ Safety Tips and Self Defence Strategies

• Listen to the podcast - LGBTQ+ Self Defence — 4 Empowering Truths