GERSHON BEN KEREN

Gershon Ben Keren

Gershon Ben Keren is a criminologist who has been working in the security industry since 1990. He has two master’s degrees: one in Criminology and Criminal psychology (University of Essex), and another in Psychology (Newcastle University), with a specialization in Forensic Psychology. He is an active member of the ASC (American Society of Criminology), the APA (American Psychological Association), and the IACA (International Association of Crime Analysts). As a Criminologist, his main focus and area of criminology is Environmental Criminology i.e., the study of where and when offenses take place. Environmental Criminology focuses on the criminal event/incident rather than the offender e.g., it is “assumed” that an offender is already motivated to commit an offense rather than examining “why” somebody has decided to commit one. Environmental Criminology looks at the situational components that need to be present in order for an offense to occur e.g., what brings an offender and a target into a particular space/location, at a particular time etc. It is through understanding these things that it is possible to both predict and prevent crimes/offenses from occurring.

He has worked in a number of roles within the security industry from Loss Prevention (he is a certified LPO – Loss Prevention Officer – with Wicklander-Zulawski) to Close Protection (Pheonix Group PLC) etc. He has provided training and consultancy to organizations, enterprises and groups globally (Europe, US, Middle East and Africa). His experiences and understanding of violence and violence prevention are international and don’t simply reflect the experiences of one locale. It is this combination of first-hand experience of violence and his academic understanding of the subject which makes the training he provides both relevant and realistic. If you are interested in training with him, you can take one of the SEPS (Situation Effective Protection System) free women’s self-defense classes. You can see – and register – for the next one by clicking here.

As well as his work in the security industry he is also an experienced martial arts and self-defense instructor. He is a 5th Degree Black Belt in Krav Maga (the fighting/self-defense system of the IDF – Israeli Defense Forces) and has authored several Amazon Best-Selling books on the system/approach. In 2010, he was inducted into the Museum of Israeli Martial Arts in Herzliya, Israel, by Dr. Dennis Hanover. He first started studying Krav Maga in Israel in 1993, and his belts and teaching certifications were all gained there. In 2008, he moved to the US, and started teaching the Krav Maga Yashir system, first in Medford and Somerville, before moving his school to Boston, and then Woburn, where the SEPS Women’s Self-Defense Program is currently taught.

The free SEPS Women’s Self-Defense program is a community driven initiative which was started in Boston, in 2008, and is a continuation of free programs that Gershon first offered in the UK. This is a program that receives no external funding from other agencies, which allows it to operate – without external interference or commitments - in the best interests of those it seeks to serve. If you are looking for effective self-protection and self-defense training that addresses the risks, issues and problems/difficulties that women face regarding violence, you can sign up for the next in-person class/seminar by clicking here, and/or look at our online training resources that are contained on this website.

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