Online Self Defence Course for the LGBTQ+ Community
Self Defence for the LGBTQ+ Community
A trauma-informed online personal safety course designed to help LGBTQ+ individuals feel safer, more aware and more confident in everyday situations.
✅ CPD-accredited online self defence course for the LGBTQ+ community - a safe space to learn
✅ Clear demonstrations and real scenarios – simple techniques designed to work under pressure
✅ Just £24 – instant access, learn from home at your own pace
The Reality Many LGBTQ+ People Face
For many people in the LGBTQ+ community, thinking about personal safety and self defence isn’t theoretical - it’s part of everyday life.
Whether it’s walking home at night, travelling somewhere unfamiliar, meeting someone new, or simply being open about who you are, many LGBTQ+ individuals move through the world with an extra layer of awareness.
Unfortunately, the statistics reflect this reality.
🚨 Reported hate crimes based on sexual orientation in the UK have more than doubled in the last five years.
🚨 Verbal harassment, intimidation and threats remain common experiences for many LGBTQ+ people.
🚨 In a survey by LGBTQ+ anti-abuse charity Galop, 88% of LGBTQ+ respondents reported experiencing sexual harassment and 77% reported sexual assault since the age of 18.
Why Traditional Self Defence Often Misses the Mark
❌ It focuses only on fighting – Most self defence training ignores awareness, boundaries and prevention, which are often the most powerful tools.
❌ It can feel intimidating or unsafe – Many people do not feel comfortable stepping into aggressive gym environments or sparring situations.
❌ It rarely reflects real-world situations – Much of the self defence content online shows unrealistic techniques that do not work under adrenaline or in everyday environments.
Our approach is different.
Streetwise Defence training is not martial arts and not combat sport.
We focus on practical personal safety skills that work in real situations, taught in a calm, supportive and trauma-informed way.
The goal isn’t to turn you into a fighter - it’s to help you feel more aware, more prepared and more confident in everyday life.
Why We Created This ONLINE Course
In our work with LGBTQ+ organisations, student groups and individuals, we often hear the same thing.
People don’t want to live in fear - they simply want practical knowledge that helps them feel more aware, more prepared and more confident.
Some people also told us they would prefer to learn privately, at their own pace, rather than attend an in-person class.
So we created this course: a safe, supportive space to learn personal safety and self defence from experienced allies who are trauma-trained and inclusive.
Dene training an LGBT group at Leeds Conservatoire
What You’ll Learn
This online training is built around our Four Pillars of Self Defence, a simple framework that focuses on the decisions and actions that make the biggest difference in real situations.
Awareness
How to recognise early warning signs and understand the types of situations that can lead to violence.
Prevention
Simple habits, positioning and boundaries that can help reduce risk in everyday situations.
Mindset
Strengthening your instincts, confidence and personal “switch” so you are mentally prepared to act if something doesn’t feel right.
Physical Options
Straightforward, last-resort techniques designed to help you create space and get to safety.
How the Online Course Works
The course is approximately 1 hour and 12 minutes long, divided into clear sections based on our Four Pillars of Self Defence.
The course combines a guided presentation (with Co-founder Dene Josham), demonstration videos showing simple techniques and real scenarios so you can see exactly how the principles work in practice.
You can watch the course at your own pace, pause and revisit sections whenever you need to.
The techniques shown are intentionally simple and practical, designed to work in real-world situations rather than relying on complicated or unrealistic moves.
Your Instructors
The course is taught by Dene Josham, Co-founder of Streetwise Defence. Dene has worked in the security industry for over 30 years, including:
Celebrity bodyguard to A-list actors such as Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie and Russell Crowe
Providing private security in high-risk environments including Iraq and Libya
Service in the Royal Marines
Dene also holds a Level 5 qualification in understanding trauma, which shapes the calm, trauma-informed approach used throughout this training.
The course was developed alongside Julie Waite, Co-founder of Streetwise Defence, whose lived experience and work supporting individuals facing harassment and violence helps shape the real-world scenarios covered in the training.
Meet Dene and Julie, Co-Founders of Streetwise Defence
Why This Work Matters to Us
Julie and Dene didn’t come to this work through theory alone.
Both have experienced violence and harassment in their own lives.
Dene experienced bullying and assault growing up, and later found himself in an abusive relationship. Those experiences led him to question violence and spend decades working to understand how it develops - and how people can recognise danger earlier and stay safer.
Julie has experienced sexual assault, street harassment and sexual harassment in the workplace. Those experiences shaped her determination to help others feel more confident, informed and supported when it comes to personal safety.
Together they founded Streetwise Defence to share practical, realistic guidance that helps people make informed decisions about their own safety.
What People Say About Our Training
“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. The workshop struck a great balance between practical techniques, real-world scenarios, and empowering guidance. Our colleagues left feeling more confident, informed, and supported.”
Josh Alviar, Just Eat Takeaway
Trusted by Organisations, Schools & Media
Streetwise Defence training has been delivered to organisations, schools and communities across the UK and internationally.
Chosen by leading organisations including Amazon, BP, Deloitte, Sony PlayStation, Hitachi, NHS and Capgemini.
Delivered to universities and schools such as Regent’s University London, Northern Ballet School and UCS Hampstead.
Featured in major media including BBC, ITV News, Newsweek, the Daily Mail and the Evening Standard.
Who This Course Is For
This course is designed for people in the LGBTQ+ community who want practical guidance on personal safety and self defence.
It may be especially helpful if:
You want to feel more confident navigating everyday situations
You prefer practical guidance rather than martial arts training
You want to learn privately and at your own pace
You value advice from experienced security professionals and allies of the LGBTQ+ community
Looking for training for your group?
If you're part of an LGBTQ+ organisation, student group or workplace network and would prefer live training for your group, we also deliver personal safety and self defence workshops.
Sessions can be delivered in person at your venue or online, and are tailored to the needs of your organisation.
Start the Course Today
You deserve to feel safer, more aware and more confident in everyday situations.
This online training brings together the same practical personal safety guidance we deliver in workshops for LGBTQ+ organisations, student groups and workplaces — now available to learn privately, at your own pace.
CPD-accredited course
Watch anytime and revisit whenever you need
Just £24 - instant access
frequently asked questions
-
It’s a fair question.
We don’t claim to know what it’s like to walk in the shoes of someone in the LGBTQ+ community.
What we do understand - from both personal experience and decades of professional work - is what it feels like to face fear, harassment, toxic relationships and violence.
Our goal with this training is not to speak for the LGBTQ+ community, but to share practical personal safety knowledge in a safe, respectful and supportive learning space.
Over the years we’ve worked with LGBTQ+ organisations, student groups and workplace networks, and this course was created in response to feedback from those communities.
We also recognise that language and understanding continue to evolve. We may not always get everything perfectly right - for example, you may notice moments in the training where traditional language is used - but our intention is always to approach this work with respect, openness and genuine support.
At the heart of it, we believe something very simple:
Everyone deserves to feel safe.
-
Many people who come to our training have experienced harassment, intimidation or violence in the past.
Our approach is trauma-informed, which means we aim to create a learning environment that prioritises safety, choice and respect.
You are always in control of how you engage with the material - you can pause, skip sections or return to the training whenever it feels right for you.
The course focuses on understanding situations, recognising early warning signs and building confidence in your own decision-making.
The goal is to offer practical knowledge in a calm, supportive way, so you can take what feels useful to you and move at your own pace.
-
No.
This course is not based on martial arts classes, sparring or high-intensity combat training.
Our approach focuses first on awareness, prevention and decision-making, because these are often the factors that make the biggest difference in real-world situations.
The physical techniques we demonstrate are simple, last-resort options designed to help you create space and get to safety, not to “fight” someone.
The training is delivered in a calm, practical way - without shouting instructors or ego-driven demonstrations.
-
This training is suitable for complete beginners as well as people with some experience.
The techniques and principles are designed to be simple, practical and accessible to anyone.
You don’t need to be fit, big or strong to use what we teach, it is highly effective and accessible for all.
-
Yes. The course focuses on awareness, prevention, mindset and simple physical options, supported by demonstration videos and real-world scenarios you can revisit whenever needed.
-
No. The training focuses on techniques and strategies that rely on awareness, positioning and simple movements rather than equipment.
-
You receive instant access and can revisit the training whenever you want for the lifetime of the course.
-
Yes. Our approach focuses first on awareness, prevention and boundaries. Physical techniques are always presented as a last resort.
-
This course is CPD UK certified, meaning it meets recognised standards for professional development learning.
If you take part in a CPD programme you can collect 1 CPD point on completion of the course
-
Yes. If you purchase the course and feel it isn’t right for you, simply contact us within 14 days and we will arrange a refund.
Our aim is for people to feel supported and confident in the training they choose, so if the course doesn’t meet your expectations we’re happy to put things right.
How to Get Started
It’s easy to begin. Just click any red button on this page to be taken to our secure checkout. We host the course on Teachable - one of the world’s largest and most trusted online learning platforms.
Create your account, enter your details, and you'll get instant lifetime access to the course.
Watch it whenever you like, as many times as you like.
You can even revisit it years later - it’s yours for good.