UK killings spark surge in women’s self-defence classes

LONDON: On a dark autumn evening, first-timers arriving for self-defence classes at Urban Fit and Fearless are asked if they have had any past traumas before they start training.

After a series of high-profile murders of women in London in recent months, the number of young female participants joining the class is high. One of them, Laura Thompson, a 29-year-old account manager, told AFP: "I think a lot of women at the moment, especially living in London, are pretty shaken up. "I know a lot of friends that openly talk about how worried they are or how they don’t feel safe.