If you want to bring Girls Fight Back, Students Fight Back, or Fight Back on Spring Break to your campus, call us at 866.769.9037 or email us at gfb@girlsfightback.com and also check out these dates when we are touring to see if we are headed to a campus near you:

8/15/15 – Morehead, KY

8/26/15 – New York, NY

8/29/15 – Commerce, TX

9/8/15 – McCook, NE

9/9/15 – North Platte, NE

9/9/15 – Coeur d’Alene, ID

9/16/15 – Richmond, VA

9/17/15 – Potsdam, NY

9/27/15 – Platteville, WI

9/28/15 – Milwaukee, WI

9/30/15 – Eau Claire, WI

Topics we cover in Girls Fight Back & Students Fight Back that are shown to be EFFECTIVE sexual assault prevention for college students:

• Self-Defense including how to yell and break holds
• Definitions of Consent
• Debunking the myth of stranger danger and defining acquaintance rape
• Bystander intervention
• Clarifying the right to personal boundaries
• . . . with an approach that is dynamic, includes role-playing, discussion, and problem-solving

It’s a complicated issue and there is no one perfect approach, but a multi-faceted approach to sexual violence including these techniques has shown time and time again to save lives and decrease violence.

This great article from the New York Times states:

Sexual violence is a serious hazard on college campuses. . . .  In a randomized trial, published in The New England Journal of Medicine, first-year students at three Canadian campuses attended sessions on assessing risk, learning self-defense and defining personal sexual boundaries. The students were surveyed a year after they completed the intervention. The risk of rape for 451 women randomly assigned to the program was about 5 percent, compared with nearly 10 percent among 442 women in a control group who were given brochures and a brief information session. . . .  “It’s an important, rigorous study that shows that resistance and self-defense training needs to be part of college sexual assault prevention,” said Sarah E. Ullman, a professor of criminology, law and justice at the University of Illinois at Chicago, who was not involved in the research.

We are dying to teach you how to kick some booty, and have fun in the process.  Give us a shout today!

Students Fight Back made the trip to see Anne Arundel Community College not too long ago, just on the outskirts of the Baltimore and DC city lights. This was round 2 for us and last time we visited this small but mighty school, our Founder Erin Weed was the speaker. Sgt. Kutz of Dept of Public Safety and Police, who sponsored the event, said that was when Weed still traveled the country solo, carrying all of her gear across the states from school to school. This was when GFB was just planting it’s seeds and finding it’s voice.

I’ve gotten to see first hand how our program has grown and simplified things to give students tools that could literally save their lives by the time they walk out of our seminar. All in 75 minutes. And it’s all about going back to the basics. Keeping it simple and accessible.. no black belt needed. Once you get your feet wet, we offer a follow up program to GFB/SFB by bringing in our friends at IMPACT to teach a full-contact course so you can up your badassery.

But Anne Arundel appeared to be living proof that our updated program was just what they needed, based on the great energy and fierceness brewing in the room. They were vibin’ our new videos, real talk on how to be an active bystander and not let someone disrespect your NO. Not to mention I had one of the best student volunteers… he was Batman, so… duh. He was total badass.

And I have to give the biggest shout out to the badass sponsors AACC Dept of Public Safey and Police who put on the event. You all kilt’ it. Thank you so much for having me and the SFB legacy back to your awesome community. Truly grateful for your leadership and support. Look forward to swinging through your neighborhood again real soon.

Love and Light,
GFB Bree

At Students Fight Back, some of the programs are mandatory attendance for certain organizations or classes. You can always tell at the beginning of a program.. Because let’s be honest, who is just jonesing to give up their free night to learn about self-defense? Not you average college student. However, since we aren’t your typical self protection seminar, about 15 minutes into the program, most of the students are on board and ready to kick some booty.

At Andrew College way down south, I spoke to the entire student body. Yep. All of them. And it was mandatory. Uh-oh.

The program started with our handouts being made into paper airplanes. Awesome. But if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em, right?
I told them we needed to work on their airplane-making skills… ‘cus some of these were just sad. Yeah I called them out on their game and had a little fun. That’s right friends… we can learn about self defense AND have fun. Oh yes we did.

The further we got into the program, the more cats got on board. People were hollering and killing the badass ballet moves, while also hitting the pause button to realize we have a serious problem on our hands as a society and we must take the steps to be ready if we ever find ourselves in a sketchy situation. It was definiely a success, especially starting off with a room full of about 300 students who were less than pumped about self-defense.
At the end of the program I had two sassy ladies approach me and give it to me straight: “You know, I didn’t want to be here at all tonight. But, I actually ended up having a lot of fun. Thanks for coming.” Awwwww Yeah! Thank YOU! This, my friends, is the best feedback I can receive. Moments like these make me puff my chest proud to be a part of such a unique organization that can connect with students on their level. Because at the end of the day, its ALL about the students, our future leaders.

Thank you Andrew College for rocking out with me for the night.. it was my pleasure and I hope we can do it again soon. Till next time..

Love and Light,
GFB Bree

Friday nights are usually pretty difficult to draw in a crowd of college-aged kids to Students Fight Back. And let’s be honest: who can blame them? Self-protection is a hard enough sale, especially when competing with Friday night beer specials. Yet, take a look at the picture seen here. Look at this beautiful, FULL auditorium room at Lynchburg College. They are KILLING IT, with a diverse room of women and men being total badasses.

We seriously had so much fun. The crowd was uber engaged, played like the latest Marvel superheroes, looking out for each other, and pumped to learn some new moves. I think one of my favorite moments was after I taught the “knee to the face” move in the Badass Ballet. My volunteer creeper, who usually has little-to-no idea what he has signed up for, looks at me with dead serious face and says “Man! That would really hurt.” Why yes, fake creeper, it would. I shared with the audience and reminded them that we are learning these moves so creepers don’t mess with us. These aren’t moves I want you to use against your roommate after he eats all your peanut butter. These are skills to defend yourself. Protect yourself. To save your life.

I love joshing around with all the peeps I meet. It’s definitely one of the favorite parts of my job, to teach self defense and have a crowd roaring like Lynchburg. But I also love knowing the GFB team is traveling around the country leaving college students with tools to literally save their life.

Damn. It’s a day well lived when you can say that.

Thank you so much Lynchburg for being such rock stars and making it a priority to lead empowered and safe lives, even when that means choosing SFB over your favorite watering-hole on Friday nights. It was an honor to thrown down with you all. Can’t wait till next time!

Love and Light,
GFB Bree

There has been a significant shift in the crowd and energy at our GFB programs in the last year. A lot more inclusive to men, all of our programs now meet Title IX requirements and a majority of our programs are geared towards both women and men. I recently spoke at Hofstra University and though the environment and school was set for our standard SFB program, there was a serious girl power vibe taking place that night. It was ladies night, fo sho.

I love the shift in our program and that our society in general is more inclusive for men to feel supported in joining the conversation on self protection. But there is this small part of me that really loves that sisterhood feeling that is still very alive and should be.  There can be so much competition and “cat fighting” going down during the high school and college years when a lot of students feel that pressure to be the best and have it all (while I find in your later years, you realize everyone can be their best self and have it all, but I digress). It was just so cool to see all the BS pushed aside and totally focused on empowering and supporting each other for 75 minutes. It was all about being our own best protectors, looking out for each other and living a fearless life.. All with an unspoken fierce-sisterhood energy in the room. Oh hell yes.

Thank you for sharing your campus and energy with me Hofstra. You are all inspiring  badasses.. I look forward to the next time!

Love and Light,

Bree