To teach a useful self-defense class for beginners (especially women), you have to cover the things that are banned in MMA - e.g. headbutts, eye-pokes, groin-grabs/punches.

Many of the classes don't cover headbutts, probably because they're difficult to train, however, one can do a lot of damage with a well-placed headbutt to the bridge of the nose (or knock themself out if they hit the forehead or the top of the head).

Some of the instructors tell women to scratch their attacker's face, when they could've easily eye-poked him or grabbed him by the balls and ran.