Personal safety takes centre stage as Strike Back Self Defence features in the first episode of the new series of Dragons’ Den, airing on BBC One on 29 January 2026.
Founded by West Midlands based entrepreneur Gulshen Bano, Strike Back Self Defence is a women-led organisation focused on teaching women and girls practical self defence skills designed to increase awareness, confidence, and personal safety. During the episode, she presents the mission behind Strike Back and outlines the organisation’s vision for expanding access to self defence education globally.
Gulshen Bano said, “Strike Back exists because violence against women is not inevitable, and fear should never be the price anyone pays for simply living their lives. Self defence is not about fighting, it’s about awareness, boundaries, safety, and knowing how to respond when something doesn’t feel right. Everything we do is rooted in prevention, education, and giving women and girls the belief that their safety matters. Bringing this conversation into the Den was about challenging the status quo and pushing women’s safety into the mainstream.”
Strike Back’s training focuses on real-world situations faced every day, from street harassment and travelling alone at night to young people making their way to and from school. Programmes are designed to teach both physical and verbal skills, centred on how to stay safe and how to respond if personal safety is threatened.
The appearance comes at a time of growing concern around safety in both the UK and internationally. In England and Wales, violence against women and girls represents a significant proportion of recorded crime, with women disproportionately affected by domestic abuse, sexual violence, stalking, and harassment. Globally, almost one in three women will experience physical or sexual violence in their lifetime.
With Strike Back’s newest License being established in India, the organisation continues to expand at pace, now having 15 franchises and 35 Instructors operating across 7 countries. This growth reflects increasing demand for practical, skills-based approaches to personal safety and preventative education across diverse cultural and geographic contexts.
Gulshen Bano added, “I hope people will tune in and watch Dragon’s Den on 29 January to see how the conversation unfolds, understand the story behind Strike Back, the motivations that led to its creation, and the wider societal challenge it seeks to confront.”
For more information, visit https://strikebackselfdefence.com
Image credit Strike Back Self Defence
Strike Back Self Defence was founded by Gulshen Bano to make practical self defence training accessible to women and girls worldwide. The organisation focuses on awareness, prevention, and confidence building, delivering training, workshops, and franchise and instructor opportunities in the UK and internationally.
Gulshen Bano is a women’s safety advocate and entrepreneur committed to addressing violence against women through education and prevention.
Women’s Safety Statistics Sources
UK
National Audit Office, Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls
https://www.nao.org.uk/reports/tackling-violence-against-women-and-girls/
Global
UN Women, Global Database on Violence against Women
https://data.unwomen.org/global-database-on-violence-against-women