See the bottom of the page for information about scholarships, inclement weather, refunds, and more.

Upcoming events

    • 2 Aug 2026
    • 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM
    • RCC Main Office, 960 Rise Lane, Madison, WI 53714
    Register

    Designed for current and incoming college students, this class covers common safety questions about partying, date-rape drugs, stalking, and walking alone at night, PLUS our most basic and versatile self-defense techniques.

    All genders welcome!



    • 19 Aug 2026
    • 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
    • RCC Office, 960 Rise Lane, Madison, WI 53714
    • 14
    Register

    Can't quite remember your Chimera? Join us for a student-directed review. Bring your questions and requests! Everything is fair game.

    • 10 Sep 2026
    • 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
    • RCC Main Office, 960 Rise Lane, Madison, WI 53714
    • 15
    Register

    Our favorite, most reliable techniques! You'll leave with a great toolkit for handling unpleasant situations any way you want.

    This class will cover:

    • Basic palm strike - better than punching!
    • What to do when someone grabs your wrist
    • Myths & facts about violence
    • How to say no without escalating
    • Confronting someone who is following you
    • What is intuition and how does it work?
    • 17 Sep 2026
    • 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
    • RCC Main Office, 960 Rise Lane, Madison, WI 53714
    Register

    Why don't people intervene when others are in trouble? Come learn how to be an active bystander when you see something that isn't right. Class will include:

    • 5 simple ways to interrupt a situation
    • Assertive communication
    • Signs of violence
    • De-escalation
    • Basic physical skills

    No prior experience necessary! Ages 12 and up. All genders welcome!

    • 7 Oct 2026
    • 11 Nov 2026
    • 6 sessions
    • RCC Main Office, 960 Rise Lane, Madison, WI 53714
    • 18
    Register

    Our COMPLETE curriculum, split up over 6 weeks! We'll talk about:

    • Kicks and strikes
    • Escaping from grabs
    • Intuition and how it works
    • Fighting on the ground
    • What if they have a weapon? Should YOU carry a weapon?
    • Breaking a chokehold
    • What if there's more than one attacker?
    • Safety in and around cars
    • And more!

    No prior experience necessary! Ages 12 and up. All genders welcome!

    • 17 Oct 2026
    • 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
    • RCC Office, 960 Rise Lane, Madison, WI 53714
    Register

    Join us for cake and streamers! Our 50th birthday party will feature a Chimera open mic—come share a success story, a good memory, or even a poem.

    Please RSVP for food planning purposes!

    EVERYONE welcome - all genders, experience levels, abilities, etc. Kids welcome but the open mic is OPEN, so be mindful that some people may share experiences of violence, sexuality, or profanity.

    • 8 Nov 2026
    • 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
    • RCC Main Office, 960 Rise Lane, Madison, WI 53714
    • 18
    Register

    Dreading holiday conversations? This workshop might be for you! We'll discuss how to set boundaries with loved ones, from escaping political discussions to explaining that you won't be coming to New Year's Eve this year.

    Class will include:
    • Strategies for preparing for events
    • How to be assertive with family, friends, and loved ones
    • Managing your expectations ahead of time
    • Self-care after a stressful or upsetting event

    No prior experience necessary! Ages 12 and up. All genders welcome!

    • 15 Nov 2026
    • 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
    • RCC Main Office, 960 Rise Lane, Madison, WI 53714
    • 18
    Register

    Our favorite, most reliable techniques! You'll leave with a great toolkit for handling unpleasant situations any way you want.

    This class will cover:

    • Basic palm strike - better than punching!
    • What to do when someone grabs your wrist
    • Myths & facts about violence
    • How to say no without escalating
    • Confronting someone who is following you
    • What is intuition and how does it work?

    No prior experience necessary! Ages 12 and up. All genders welcome!

    • 1 Dec 2026
    • 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
    • RCC Main Office, 960 Rise Lane, Madison, WI 53714
    • 18
    Register

    Dreading holiday conversations? This workshop might be for you! We'll discuss how to set boundaries with loved ones, from escaping political discussions to explaining that you won't be coming to New Year's Eve this year.

    Class will include:
    • Strategies for preparing for events
    • How to be assertive with family, friends, and loved ones
    • Managing your expectations ahead of time
    • Self-care after a stressful or upsetting event

    No prior experience necessary! Ages 12 and up. All genders welcome!

    • 3 Jan 2027
    • 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
    • RCC Main Office, 960 Rise Lane, Madison, WI 53714
    • 15
    Register

    Curious about self-defense? Want a crash course in how to defuse, stop, or escape violence? Join us for a 90-minute class teaching the basics of self-defense! Class will include:

    • Basic palm-heel strike - better than punching!
    • What is assertive communication and why is it important?
    • How to escape basic grabs
    • How can we effectively interrupt violence?
    • Lots of success stories

    ALL GENDERS WELCOME. Ages 12 and up. No prior experience necessary.

Chimera Policies

Cost

A basic 12-hour Chimera course is $180 per person or $120 for students/seniors.

Scholarships are available! Choose "scholarship registration" when you register, and we'll get in touch with you to figure out the details. We want everyone to be able to take this class regardless of financial circumstances.

Inclement Weather Policy

If inclement weather causes transportation safety concerns for the instructor(s) or students, the instructor may decide to cancel class. If the session is canceled, they will email all participants to let them know at least 3 hours in advance. RCC will reschedule the session as soon as possible, aiming for the same day of the week and time of day, one week later if possible. No refunds will be issued.

Refund Policy

You can choose another set of dates or request a refund if:

  • If you tell us you can't attend at least 48 hours in advance of the first session;
  • If RCC cancels the class due to low enrollment
  • If the instructor cancels the entire class due to personal illness or emergency

In other cases, a refund may not be possible.

If a single session of a class is canceled because the instructor is sick or the weather is bad, RCC will reschedule the session. No refunds will be issued.

Transportation Assistance

We can offer limited transportation assistance to and from classes. Contact Chimera@theRCC.org if you will have difficulty getting to class.

Chimera® Empowerment Self-Defense is a program of RCC Sexual Violence Resource Center, a 501(c)(3) non-profit in Madison, Wis.

960 Rise Lane

Madison, WI 53714

Chimera@theRCC.org

608-960-9036 (call or text)

24-hour helpline: 608-251-7273

La Línea de Ayuda: 608-258-2567

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