Personal Safety Resources

From one traveler to another, I’m sharing a list of resources so you can be safer on the road and explore the world with confidence.

Travel brings unforgettable experiences—but it can also bring uncertainty. That’s why I want to provide you with practical advice and easy-to-learn self-defense techniques so you can move through the world with more confidence.

Here you’ll find resources based on real-life travel experiences, including:

✔️ Street-smart safety tips
✔️ Simple self-defense techniques
✔️ How to avoid & handle risky situations

💪 Why I Learned Empowerment Self-Defense

More than 12 years ago, I set out on a 2-year, 62-country adventure volunteering with humanitarian organizations. As I visited communities around the world, I hit the road hard: jungle hikes in Honduras, bus rides through Zambia, and road trips deep into Middle Eastern deserts.

Before departing wanted to learn some safety tools, so I signed up for a 3-day empowerment self-defense (ESD) class. It turned out to be one of the most impactful experiences of my life.

I think about what I learned every single day.

Since then, I’ve donated to and volunteered with ESD organizations worldwide, consulted with ESD Global, and partnered with the founder of ESD to build a free online training app. And I just became a certified ESD Coach.

I’m a true believer because my ESD training has helped me survive several risky situations. And now I want to make sure you have access to the same resources.

🌎 We travelers are more vulnerable

When we travel, we step outside our routines, our networks, and our comfort zones. We are often alone, in unfamiliar places, with no one nearby who knows us. This sense of discovery is part of the allure of travel. But it also exposes us to risk.

Globally, 30% of women have experienced physical or sexual violence.
In the U.S., one rape occurs every 2 minutes. (Source: World Health Organization)

I’ve had incidents on five continents. The reality is that no destination is immune, but knowing how to protect yourself will make you safer. And that’s what Empowerment Self-Defense provides—the confidence that you’ll know what to do in a dangerous situation.

It works because ESD is a research-backed approach to personal safety that goes far beyond physical moves. In fact, 75% of all assaults can be avoided or de-escalated. Two tools alone—your voice and your ability to run—will protect you in most situations.

🛡️ Safety resources and tools

Whether you’re preparing for a trip, living abroad, or traveling far and wide, this is the place to start. Here are four tools that you can use right down:

📱 MyPwr App: Free ESD training on your phone, including physical skills, grounding exercises, boundary setting, and a resource library. Apple Store | Google Play

🎓 Find ESD Classes: Locate a certified ESD Trainer to attend an in-person class or invite them to come to your school, workplace, friend, or faith group.

🥊 My ESD Training: A Fighting Chance is a peek inside my ESD training, including video of me learning to fight.

💞 Survivor Resources: Here’s where you can report a sexual assault and find mental health support in the United States and globally.

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The world is a beautiful place. Let’s go explore it safely and with confidence.

xo, Erin

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