Does anyone know of a place where I can....(Serious thread)

Where can I take a self defense class in NYC?

I have taken kickboxing classes at the gym before but I want to take a real self-defense class. I completely forgot to write about this last week and DH reminded me you guys are a source of info so figured I would post and see.

I was walking towards the Port Authority through the Times Square area. I was right on the corner where THE GAP is. You know how there is a subway entrance there and then across the street is Ann Taylor's Loft? Well as I was walking there last Friday before the holidays, some guy veers straight into my path and tries to get up in my face saying 'beautiful' and all that usual garbage. I wave him off saying, 'I am nto interested,' but as I start to walk away he GRABBED my arm and tried to pull me back towards him and towards the subway entrance saying, 'come here.'

Now in my rational mind in hindsight I know he was probably not meaning me actual harm, but just being a completely aggressive and innapropriate d*uchebag for lack of a better word. he just couldn't concieve the idea that someone might not be interested in him I guess.

Anyway, my instincts went into full gear and I did scream 'Get your fawking hands off of me!' but otherwise I froze because I was just so startled. I did manage to swing my left arm up (he had my right) and I swung my 20 pound purse and hit him in the arm and he turned tail and backed off (more because I was screaming my head off than anything else I think), but the whole event scared the crap out of me.

One, because I realized just how easy it is for a woman to be assaulted in plain sight and to be abducted, because you just freeze up in complete shock and those few seconds are all someone really needs to overpower you.

Two, because it was frickin TIMES SQUARE rigth across from the TIMES SQUARE TOWERS where I used to work and where security is SO high and yet NO ONE offered me any help. It was 1pm during a holiday season so there were TONS of people around but not one person came to my defense. So I realized I need to come to my own.

I want to take a class not to become Xena or anything, but just to train myself not to freeze and to do everythign I can to make myself the mother of all PITA's so no one will want to waste the energy to try and take me.

I am also ROYALLY pissed that I even have to learn to defend myself because some @sshat thinks he has the right to put his hands on me.

I am going to start recommending every woman I know to try and take one too if they offer it enar you because it really was scary crap. So if anyone knows of a place, I would appreciate it.

ETA: Kath I know you take martial arts. Would you happen to know of anywhere in the city? TIA!