In a March 24 ceremony at the Smith Martial Arts Academy in Loveland, Grand-Master Randolph Smith, Sr. and Operations Manager R.J. Trustey, donated $250 to the the Greater Cincinnati Eastern Chapter of the YWCA. Accepting the donation on behalf of the YWCA was the Eastern Area House of Peace Domestic Violence Services Director Cara Good and YWCA Court Advocacy Coordinator Laurie Coots.

Local law enforcement officials Duyane Ernst and Fred Fatute, concerned about the increase in violent assaults on women, approached the Smith Academy with the idea of starting a self-defense class for women. The YWCA wanted to be involved as well, and, coordinating their efforts, a self-defense program for women called Escape Windows was created.

Smith Academy already offers self-defense classes, but Officer Ernst wanted to start a