Empowerment Self-Defense: Theory, Research, and Practice brings together scholarship on the theory, research, and practice of empowerment self-defense (ESD). ESD is an evidence-based and transformative approach to violence prevention grounded in feminism and social justice. This book assembles leading researchers and practitioners to clearly define ESD and assess its effectiveness.
The contributors to this volume frame ESD as a part of a comprehensive approach to sexual assault prevention and document the worldwide implementation of ESD as a part of a larger gender justice movement. This book begins by outlining the fundamental concepts, elements, and theoretical underpinnings of ESD and situates ESD within the long history of feminist collective activism. The second section considers the role of ESD in violence prevention, including its effectiveness for survivors of trauma and its implementation around the world. The third section focuses on the research behind ESD, including an assessment of measurement tools. The fourth section focuses on applications of ESD within specific communities, including indigenous, sexual and gender minority, and disabled populations. The final section of the book addresses the future of ESD, including implementation, dissemination, and future directions for research. Together, these chapters present a compelling case for the essential role of ESD training in violence prevention efforts.

• Defines ESD and its goals, philosophy, and pedagogy
• Traces the historical development of ESD as a sexual violence prevention approach
• Reviews research assessing the effectiveness of ESD training
• Evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of measurement tools for key constructs
• Discusses the application of self-defense to a broad range of populations across the globe