In recognition of sexual assault awareness month, we wanted to address the damaging impact of “victim blaming” and the misconceptions regarding women’s self-defense. Many people wrongly believe that a survivor of sexual assault may be to blame based on what they were wearing, drinking or doing prior to the assault. It’s not true, and the insinuation is much more damaging than many realize. It’s never the victim’s fault. It is a man’s responsibility to respect women and their boundaries. But until this day comes, we encourage women to learn self defense; not because it’s their responsibility, but because it’s their reality.

In a perfect world, women wouldn’t need self-defense because men wouldn’t perpetrate these crimes — but the world is far from perfect. The Gracie Women Empowered program is a jiu-jitsu-based women’s self-defense system which addresses the 15 most common threats against women. In addition to leverage-based physical techniques, women are taught to use the “psychology of an assault” to set boundaries, assess intentions and deter attacks before they happen! Share the video and help us inspire women everywhere!

Introducing Women Empowered 2.0, available on DVD and online streaming, this new program serves as the basis for an entirely new Instructor Certification Program that will enable graduates to teach Women Empowered in ANY fitness center, college campus, church, military base and beyond! There is no segment of society that needs jiu-jitsu more than women, and there is no martial art that is better suited for women than jiu-jitsu, but unfortunately women are the minority at every BJJ school in on the planet. Thanks to Eve, the new Women Empowered program, and the thousands of instructors we will certify around the world, we’re gonna tilt the scale back in the right direction and make the world a better place!

Statistically, the most dangerous place for a woman is in her own home, so Eve Gracie had the brilliant idea of doing a tutorial of the most effective techniques for use on a bed!

We picked 7 random guys and conducted a interesting experiment. Conclusion: “Alavanca” is everything, and all women should learn jiu-jitsu!

Eve Gracie demonstrates the sheet choke in more detail, and Rener reveals the moment during the bedroom technique video that she actually choked him unconscious.

Unwanted hugs are something most women dread dealing with. The most important defense is knowing that we have the right to refuse them. Here are some ways to make sure we only hug on our terms.