The Danger of the Undoing of Women’s Empowerment

Why the erosion of legal protections means women are not safe from bedrooms to bathrooms — and how Empowerment Self-Defense can help close the safety gap by Dr. Dawn Lindsey

Executive Summary

The steady dismantling of federal women’s programs, diversity initiatives, and gender protections in the United States is reverberating worldwide. When a government refuses to recognize certain gender identities and cuts funding to women-centered initiatives, it emboldens harassment, exclusion, and violence. The harassment of a Minnesota teenager, forced to 'prove her gender' before using a public restroom, is emblematic of the dangers that result.

This reality underscores a sobering truth: women are not safe from bedrooms to bathrooms. Violence against women can occur anywhere — in intimate spaces or public settings. The rollback of protections erodes both private and public safety, undoing decades of progress.

In this climate, Empowerment Self-Defense (ESD) becomes essential. ESD equips people with boundary-setting, assertiveness, de-escalation, and situational awareness skills — providing protection even when laws fail.

Background: The Rise and Achievements of Empowerment Self-Defense

Empowerment Self-Defense (ESD) is a global, evidence-based approach to violence prevention. Unlike traditional martial arts, ESD combines awareness, verbal strategies, physical techniques, and psychological empowerment to reduce vulnerability and increase resilience.

Global Achievements to Date:

• Wen-Do in Egypt: Empowered women in Cairo to navigate harassment in public transit and workplaces.

• Red Brigade Trust (India): Trained thousands of girls in self-defense, reducing harassment in schools.

• Guardian Girls International: Partnered with UNFPA to integrate martial arts into GBV prevention in 15 countries.

• ESD Global Network: Established training hubs in conflict zones, refugee camps, and urban centers worldwide.

Problem Statement

Recent federal actions dismantle protections for women and marginalized groups by eliminating DEIA initiatives and rolling back gender recognition policies. These changes increase targeted harassment and violence, restrict access to public spaces, and reverse decades of empowerment progress.

Women’s safety is threatened at every stage of daily life — from private bedrooms where domestic violence persists to public bathrooms where harassment is emboldened.

Recommendations

1. Restore and Strengthen Women’s Programs

2. Reinstate Gender Recognition Protections

3. Integrate ESD into Public Safety Strategies

4. Protect Funding for Domestic and Sexual Violence Services

5. Promote Intersectional Safety Frameworks

References

Reuters. (2025, August 8). US judge blocks Trump administration limits on domestic violence grants. https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/us-judge-blocks-trump-administration-limits-domestic-violence-grants-2025-08-08/

The Guardian. (2025, August 1). Why the US is burning $10m worth of birth control. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/aug/01/why-the-us-is-burning-10m-worth-of-birth-control

AP News. (2025). State Department notifies Congress of reorganization plan with bigger cuts to programs and staff. https://apnews.com/article/d1c4098578b16f31ab34d700766fe615

UNFPA. (2024). Guardian Girls International: Using martial arts to end gender-based violence. https://www.unfpa.org/guardian-girls

Case Study: Minnesota Restroom Harassment Incident

In 2025, a teenage girl in Minnesota was harassed and forced to prove her gender before being allowed to use a public restroom. This incident occurred in the wake of federal rollbacks on gender recognition protections, emboldening individuals to police and intimidate others in public spaces. It demonstrates how policy regression directly impacts personal safety and dignity.

The 'Bedrooms to Bathrooms' Safety Continuum

Women’s safety is at risk across a continuum of environments:• Bedrooms: Intimate partner violence and domestic abuse remain prevalent.• Bathrooms: Public harassment and gender-policing incidents are rising.• In between: Workplaces, schools, streets, and online spaces face increased harassment as protections are dismantled.ESD addresses safety across this entire continuum by equipping individuals with prevention, de-escalation, and defense skills.