Columbia offering free women’s self-defense class

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Columbia police are offering women a free chance to learn some valuable self-defense skills.

Acting Police Chief Ruben Santiago says the class is taking place Monday at the Columbia Police Department training center in downtown Columbia.

The class is available to women and girls age 13 and older. More classes are expected to be available later in the year.

Last year, members of the police department’s special victims unit came up with the program after getting inquiries from crime victims.