From JC, re self-defense for daughters (and sisters and mothers): 

“I know you have a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. I also know that you had your boys learn it when they were young. I have a nine-year-old daughter. If you had a daughter, what martial art or self-defense system would you recommend?”

My Response: If I had a daughter, I’d want her to become proficient in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. First, because it’s a great and improving sport. Second, because it is an extremely efficient way to be in top shape. And third, because it is the only self-defense system that makes any sense for girls and women.

It’s more effective for women than any other form of grappling and any form of striking, including boxing, kickboxing, Mui Thai, etc. Regardless of how effective a woman becomes in those other martial arts, she will have little chance of defending herself against a larger, stronger man. But Brazilian Jiu Jitsu was created specifically to enable smaller weaker fighters to defeat larger stronger ones by using leverage and technique.

I’m not saying that a woman that is a black belt in BJJ can defeat all men that don’t know BJJ. I’m saying that if she is really good at it, she has a chance – a small chance, but a real chance – against an aggressive and determined male attacker.

To give you an idea of the disadvantage women have in fighting, take a look at this clip. The woman is a brown belt (second-highest level). The man is a blue belt (second-lowest level). She does well in this exchange. But if it was an all-out fight with striking, it’s highly unlikely she would survive.