MT: What makes a good self defense class for women?

[Little Apple]

I would say a little person can beat a big one, but that kind of skill takes lots of time to develop. Especially if you're talking about subtle weight shifts and exact pressure points. In my humble opinion, self-defense classes should focus on three things:
-Simple techniques that a person can learn fast and do right away,
-Drilling those techniques so that they actually DO use them if they need them,
-Emphasis on self awareness, being smart, and escaping over fighting~ your best defense is your brain.

My friends and I teach a self-defense class for youth at a one week camp out. We generally tell them that if they are being attacked, scream their brains out, fight back, and run: 80% of victims who even thrash and make noise escape their attacker. After they finish the class, we tell them that for the rest of the week, the instructors will be attacking them. If they can't get away from us, or summon help to them, they have to spend an hour being "dead" inside one of our tents. It works, by creation! I dare one of you to keep hold of a screaming 12 year old who's busily clawing your eyes out.