SEPS (Situation Effective Protection System) is a contextually based self-protection and self-defense system that aims to educate people as to how real-life violence actually occurs. Using an evidentially based approach, the program examines how real-life violent incidents occurred and developed, along with the geographic/situational and temporal (time-based) aspects of them. The system was originally conceived of and designed by two UK security specialists/consultants, who wanted to bring professional level security training to non-professionals e.g., those who work in the security industry are taught how to identify and assess danger and risk, rather than blindly following rules-based scripts e.g., don’t walk down dark-alleys, don’t run with your ear-buds in etc. Whilst, such advice is well intentioned, with a lot of it being common sense based, it doesn’t actually teach people how to be safe, and equip them with the knowledge to predict, identify and avoid violence e.g., whilst not running when listening to music allows you to be more aware of your surroundings, if you don’t know what you need to be aware of i.e., what a threat and/or danger looks like, it makes little difference whether you are listening to music or not, as you won’t be able to identify a threat or potential danger.

In the Autumn of 2008, Gershon Ben Keren (one of the UK security specialists/consultants who was involved in developing SEPS, moved to Boston. In 2010 he and instructors at his Boston school started running free women’s self-defense classes, looking at how to prevent rape and sexual assaults, identify and predict potentially abusive partners (psychologically, emotionally and physically abusive individuals), along with how to deal with those individuals who engage in stalking and harassment campaigns etc. The free program also teaches how to effectively use pepper spray and other defensive sprays etc. The women’s self-defense program takes a blended learning approach teaching the self-protection component as an online course/program and then providing physical training sessions at the Krav Maga Yashir Training facility , just North of Boston, in Woburn, Massachusetts. Both online and in-person classes are offered free and together equip women with the skills and knowledge to deal with real-life violence.

This website, www.womensselfdefense.boston, acts as a repository and center for the self-protection part of our courses/programs. Please feel free to browse the information provided and/or complete any of the programs listed. If you then want to engage in one of our physical self-defense classes, you can check our classes page (by clicking here) to see when our next in-person self-defense class is scheduled to take place. If you would like to learn more about Gershon Ben Keren, (click here), the SEPS system (click here), or contact us about other self-defense/security services we may offer, click here.

Gershon Ben Keren

Gershon Ben Keren has been involved with self-defense and martial arts since 1978 and has been working in the security industry since 1990. As well as working operationally in the security industry he is a criminologist (he has two master’s degrees, one in criminology and criminal psychology – University of Essex – and one in Psychology – Newcastle University – with a specialization in Forensic Psychology). Rather than “imagine” what violence may look like, or base it primarily on personal experience(s), which by definition is limited to an individual, the SEPS Women’s Self-Defense Program takes a researched and evidential approach to dealing with the types of violence that predominately targets women e.g., rape and sexual assault, staking and harassment etc. If you want to learn more about Gershon Ben Keren, click here, or the SEPS approach to preventing and dealing with violence click here.

Corporate & Professional Services

If you are an organization looking to bring personal-safety, self-protection and/or self-defense to your members, Gershon Ben Keren, has experience of bringing this type of training to companies, corporations, organizations and enterprises, into the workplace. Our training seminars, programs and consultancy is offered in a safe, non-dramatic and non-sensational manner with the goal of equipping members of a group/organization primarily how to predict, identify and avoid violence before it occurs, and teaching physical solutions when/where this isn't possible. To learn more about the training and services we offer, please click here, and/or click here to contact us about any training/consultancy requirements you may have.