Founded in 1974 in Dallas, Texas, Women Armed for Self-Protection (W.A.S.P.) was created in response to the increasing incidents of rape and the societal attitudes that enabled such violence. In their 1974 manifesto, the organization voiced strong condemnation of the legal system, cultural norms, and the tendency to blame victims, which allowed the crime of rape to perpetuate and remain under-prosecuted. W.A.S.P. advocated for women to incorporate self-defense into their lifestyles and supported those who took aggressive retaliation actions against rapists. To achieve this, the organization aimed to train women in weaponry and promote the sharing of self-defense knowledge and experiences.