Nexus Martial Arts & Fitness hosted a Women’s Self-Defense seminar on Saturday to benefit Toys for Tots.

The event drew teens and women from around the South Coast and the Greater New Bedford area, and helped the academy donate thousands of dollars worth of toys, said Nexus founder and instructor Stephen Whittier.

The seminar began with education about violence against women and moved on to instruction in physical skills to enable women to protect themselves even against much larger, stronger aggressors.

“The seminar exceeded our expectations, both in terms of the contribution to Toys for Tots and the response from the attendees,” Whittier said. "We had incredible feedback.”