Women were protected in the past by society's rules and a sense of chivalry. Not that chivalry is dead everywhere, a woman has more chance to be assaulted in today's society then they would have twenty years ago. Women's self-defense is more important today because women have been devalued at the street level in today's society. Local police departments, colleges, and even the local YMCA will often offer classes in the art of women's self defense. These courses are designed to bring in women from all spheres of society and in any age bracket. One should never concern themselves about their physical ability or handicaps as a good women's self defense class will address all needs for the fairer persuasion. The ability of a woman to defend herself from possible theft, physical harm, or death is an important skill that every woman should have. A sample training seminar session from the American Women's Self Association consists of four days of rigorous self defense training. International instructors will there for you to talk to and gain information that could help you in your women's self defense goals or even pick up on the latest gadgetry that he women's self defense industry has come out with. Other women's self defense tips include confronting the potential attacker head on. If you feel that someone is following you, turn around and ask him the time or ask him directions. Once you have seen his face, the attacker will probably change their mind because you have seen their face and can identify them in a line up. If the attack becomes really personal you will be taught how to use pressure points to either loosen the attackers grip or to cause enough pain so that the attacker lets go. Pressure points as defined by women's self defense experts are points that have a prevalenc of nerves in it. When pressure is applied to these points, pain is felt and the natural reaction to move away from pain gives the victim an advantage. The three pinnacles that the program offers is awareness, prevention, risk reduction and avoidance. Once these principles have failed, the program uses a hands-on system of protection. The program is designed to give women the choice of how to act and how to implement pre-rape behavior which will give the woman a tool box of options in which she could choose from.