enesekaitses

Enesekaitses is a term used in Estonian language to denote the situation or act of self-defense. In both everyday speech and academic writing, it refers to actions taken to protect oneself from imminent harm and to considerations about legality and ethics surrounding those actions.

The word is built from enese- meaning "self" and kaitse meaning "defense". The form enesekaitses is the inessive case, literally "in self-defense," and is most commonly used to describe the circumstance rather than as a fixed title. In English-language discussions it may be rendered as a phrase indicating a state rather than a standalone concept.

Legal context: Estonian law recognizes self-defense as a justified response to an immediate threat when the measures used are proportionate and necessary. The expression enesekaitses appears in statutory and court-language to describe acts carried out under that condition, with judicial assessment focused on immediacy of threat and proportionality of response.

Education and training: Personal-safety programs and martial-arts curricula discuss enesekaitses as part of a broader framework that emphasizes avoidance, de-escalation, and the limited use of force. Instruction typically ties the concept to practical rules about escaping danger and seeking help whenever possible.

See also self-defense, Estonian law, martial arts, and personal safety.