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Author: International Association of ESD Professionals

Share Your ESD Story

2025-06-27

Share Your ESD Story   Your experience can empower others. You’ve overcome challenges as an ESD instructor or student—navigated classroom crises, broke through personal barriers, found your strength. We want your story for the IAESDP “Spectrum of Safety” Editorial Page — a platform where real experiences become teaching tools that transform lives worldwide. Together, we’re building our collective ESD legacy. Selected stories may be included in our upcoming “Spectrum of Safety” anthology. Ready to inspire others? Contact leah@mypwr.app for submission details. Your journey matters. Share it.

The Power of the Break

2025-06-27

The Power of the Break I’ll start by making an admission: I learned everything I know about ESD by teaching it.  I’ll start by making an admission: I learned everything I know about ESD by teaching it.  What? Well, I created an Empowerment Self Defense curriculum called ASSERT about 20 years ago, before I knew that ESD was already “a thing.” I created it out of necessity. You see, my oldest son was being bullied in middle school (years 5-7 for my international friends.) He had been assaulted and robbed by upper classmen on more than one occasion, and he

The Strong Side: A Bold New Step in Violence Prevention in Football from the International Association of ESD Professionals

2025-06-10

The Strong Side: A Bold New Step in Violence Prevention in Football The International Association of ESD Professionals (IAESDP) is proud to launch The Strong Side—a powerful new violence prevention initiative in football that brings the life-changing tools of Empowerment Self Defense (ESD) into the heart of football culture.  This global project is designed to improve fan safety and promote inclusive football environments by offering tailored safety trainings to football players, coaches, club staff, media, stadium workers, and supporters. By strengthening community resilience and communication, The Strong Side equips participants with tools to prevent gender-based violence in football and beyond.

From Celebration to Tragedy — What the Paris Violence Teaches Us About Prevention

2025-06-03

From Celebration to Tragedy — What the Paris Violence Teaches Us About Prevention Urgant Call for Violence Prevention in Football The recent tragedy that unfolded in Paris—where two people were killed and hundreds injured or arrested following Paris Saint-Germain’s UEFA Champions League victory—was not an isolated incident. While the surface story is one of football celebrations gone wrong, the deeper truth is more complex and far-reaching. Behind the chaos lies a concerning and often overlooked pattern: the steady build-up of attitudes and behaviors that normalize violence long before a single bottle is thrown or street set ablaze.  From Harmless to

Announcement: Groundbreaking Research Collaboration with Johns Hopkins University 

2025-05-29

IAESDP Announces Groundbreaking Research Collaboration with Johns Hopkins University Creating Milestones in Violence Prevention through Empowerment Self Defense The International Association of Empowerment Self Defense Professionals (IAESDP) is thrilled to share that we are in the final stages of developing a research collaboration with the SEE Change Initiative at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. This exciting development represents a significant milestone in our ongoing efforts to build a robust evidence base for Empowerment Self Defense (ESD) and elevate the global standards of ESD instruction.  While the collaboration is still being finalized, the IAESDP and our academic colleagues

Post-Yates: 3 Fan-Safety Moves MLS Clubs Still Haven’t Made

2025-05-27

Post-Yates: 3 Fan-Safety Moves MLS Clubs Still Haven’t Made A Call to Change: Fan-Safety Must be Treated as a Priority Since the release of the 2022 Yates Report, which exposed widespread safeguarding failures in U.S. Soccer, reforms have focused heavily on player welfare—and rightly so. But nearly three years later, as stadium attendance breaks new records and fan culture becomes increasingly vibrant and diverse, one glaring issue remains: fan safety is still being treated as an afterthought. While the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) has reckoned with further revelations—including a $5 million restitution settlement announced in February 2025—Major League Soccer

Confronting Structural Violence: The Gérard Depardieu Case and the Imperative for Systemic Change

2025-05-27

    Confronting Structural Violence: The Gérard Depardieu Case and the Imperative for Systemic Change Empowerment Self-Defense Professionals stress urgent action against rising violence and discrimination   The recent conviction of French actor Gérard Depardieu for sexual assault marks a pivotal moment in the ongoing global reckoning with gender-based violence. As professionals dedicated to the prevention of such violence, the International Association of Empowerment Self Defense Professionals (IAESDP) recognizes this case as emblematic of the broader structural issues that perpetuate abuse and hinder accountability. The Role of Empowerment and Policy At IAESDP, we advocate for a multifaceted approach to combating gender-based

A Commitment to Ethical Practice and Collaboration in Empowerment Self Defense 

2025-04-29

Official statement: A Commitment to Ethical Practice and Collaboration in Empowerment Self Defense The International Association of Empowerment Self Defense Professionals (IAESDP) believes deeply in fostering an environment built on trust, collaboration, and mutual respect. We recognize and honor the hard work and dedication of local Empowerment Self Defense instructors who have invested significant time and resources in building community relationships.  Recently, it has come to our attention that some instructors may be unintentionally disrupting these established relationships by teaching in cities without first engaging the local ESD professionals. Such actions, even if well-intentioned, can feel competitive or undermining, leading

ESD Anthology – Spectrum of Safety: I Challenge You to a Duel​

2025-04-10

ESD Anthology – Spectrum of Safety: I Challenge You to a Duel It was a bad time for our family.  The divorce was past, but the control issues were still very much in the present.   I was anxious, depressed, doubting my ability to make decisions. Unsurprisingly, I made bad decision after bad decision.  My kids were suffering despite all the therapy.  One of my children would stare into space for long periods and then turn on me with their fists.  At the time I was pretty frail, and they bruised me.  The center where I was going to a support

New Testing Platform Launch Marks a Major Step Forward for ESDP Credentialing

2025-04-10

New Testing Platform – Major Step Forward for ESDP Credentialing The International Association of ESD Professionals is proud to announce the launch of a new virtual testing platform for the Empowerment Self Defense Professional (ESDP) Credentialing Exam. This significant upgrade reflects the Association’s ongoing commitment to strengthening professional standards in the ESD field and ensuring accessibility for practitioners around the globe.  In partnership with global assessment leader Mercer | Mettl, the new platform offers a dramatically improved experience for test takers. From a user-friendly interface to a simplified exam scheduling system, every feature has been designed with the candidate in