History
In July 2022, the Strength Programs (WomenStrength, GirlStrength, and BoyStrength) moved from the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) to the Community Safety Division (now called Portland's Public Safety Service Area as of July 2024). The move prompted the Strength Programs to rebrand as Rose City Self-Defense and also update the curriculum to focus on equity and inclusion.
Since 1979, we have provided free empowerment-based self-defense classes and personal safety workshops to people around the Portland metro area. We have taught self-defense skills to approximately 40,000 women and teenage girls, and personal safety workshops to over 110,000 people. Our classes offer more than just physical self-defense skills. Included are topics such as using your intuition, understanding different escape options, negotiating consent, information about abusive relationships, boundary setting, and assertiveness skills. This holistic approach has been successful in teaching our students that physical fighting is a last resort and we have many options to choose from if faced with the threat of violence.
Where We Serve
View full size image of Overlay map of the 4 Portland Council Districts and locations of RCSD community and youth classes.
In The News
- September 26, 2025 - KATU: Ohana Self-Defense & Rose City Self Self-Defense: Empowerment Self-Defense Education
- January 10, 2025 - KATU: Rose City Self-Defense: Youth Update
- May 28, 2024 - KATU: Rose City Self-Defense: Free Empowerment-Based Self-
Defense Programs - May 8, 2024 - KPTV: Rose City Self-Defense making people feel safer since 1979
- October 26, 2023 - KBOO: Toni Fujiwara from Rose City Self-Defense