More women in London are now joining self-defence classes to feel safe.

City News has spoken to self-defence organisations across the capital, who all say they have seen a significant rise in women wanting to learn these skills.

Kerry Phillips from Saving Souls Hub said that the number has more than doubled in the last year and London Self Defence Academy has seen a 10% increase in women signing up for classes in the same time.

More women are taking up self-defence classes. Credit: Lilah Parsons

Della O’Sullivan also runs a self-defence class in Covent Garden. She told City News why she thinks there has been an increase in women seeking these skills.

She said: “I get an influx of calls every time there is a news story about yet another woman who’s been killed in London. The statistics are alarming…it’s important for us to be aware but also it does frighten women.”

Della teaching some self-defence skills. Credit: Lilah Parsons

A ‘Societal Epidemic’

The Mayor of London has since announced that tackling the “societal epidemic” of violence against women and girls is a “primary concern” for his administration.

35,000 allegations of violence against women and girls were recorded in the capital in 2022. Additionally, 19 women were killed in the city over the last year, according to Action on Armed Violence.

Talitha Dennis, one of Della’s students, said: “I’ve been in various situations where I have been attacked and I decided to gain a skill and feel more confident, so should something happen again, then I at least have some knowledge of how to protect myself.”

She believes a rise in media exposure to incidents of violence are driving women to take personal safety in their own hands.

“There has been more coverage of women going missing like the situation with Sarah Everard. I think it’s increased people’s awareness of it, and they want to protect themselves.”

Credit: Lilah Parsons

Not a solution

Della said that while she loves to teach self-defence skills, she stressed they are not a solution for violence against women.

“It’s a tool for women to become more empowered (…) But I don’t want to present it as a solution, because it derails very important conversations that need to be had about how women can actually be safer in London.”