Free Park Slope Women's Self-Defense Class Raises Money For Anti-Sexual Violence Group

PARK SLOPE, BROOKLYN — Two martial arts instructors in Park Slope are offering free women's self-defense classes and raising money for an anti-sexual violence organization.

Dan Sevigny, a martial arts instructor at Class One MMA at Fourth Avenue and St. Marks Place, started Women's Fights last month "in response to our female friends and family who said they feel unsafe and watching the general social climate shift against women."

The class is less about learning complicated fighting moves and more about simple defenses and techniques for evading confrontation all together. It's also a good way to stay in shape.

"We try and focus on highly effective, very simple techniques that anyone can use to use against a larger attacker to break away in case of safety," Sevigny told Patch. "We’re not teaching them how to fight — that takes hundreds of thousands of hours to master."

The classes are free or "cost-by-donation." Any (optional) donations made go to support the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network.

Sevigny and Ken Ng lead the sessions at Class One MMA. It's apparently already helped at least one woman stay safe.

Sevigny said that on of his students fought off a would-be backpack thief who tried to rob her in broad daylight.

The first class was held February 5 and are taking place on the first and third Sunday of every month at 3:30 p.m. The next class is this Sunday.

A wide range of women have shown up to the classes so far, Sevigny said, and some have become friends.

"It’s just been a mix of everybody. We’ve had all ages from, the youngest was 18 to 60, so that’s been really cool," he said. "It’s fun, laid back, it’s a good opportunity for these ladies to meet each other. We’ve seen some cool friendships being made, and they end up coming to the class together."

Anyone who wants to sign up for the class can do so on the Women's Fights website here.

Image courtesy Dan Sevigny