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Lauren Spierer's Friends Organize Self Defense Class, Fundraiser For Search Efforts

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Six months ago, Indiana University student and Westchester native Lauren Spierer went missing. Her friends spent Sunday raising money to help in the search and learning how to prevent what may have happened to Lauren from happening to them.

"We just really know that someone knows something, and we just want to find that out," said Dana Krause, friend of Spierer.

Wearing blue for Lauren, the group learned how to fight back at a self-defense class they organized at New York University.

The fact that Lauren went missing after a night out is a scary thought for these college girls.

"We were anxious to be back at school after everything that happened with Lauren, so we decided to take a self-defense class so we'd know how to arm ourselves against whatever situation is happening," said Lauren Cohen.

Spierer was last seen in Bloomington, Indiana on June 3. Her parents have been tirelessly searching for their daughter.

Her friends at home say they can't help but feel it could have been any one of them.

"We're really happy with the turnout because if one person is safer, then we achieved our goal," Krause said.

The instructor told the girls to remember three things should they ever need to fight back: get angry, scream and strike.

"Take over the situation, try to get mad and not scared," said instructor Gabrielle Rubin of Female Awareness Self Defense. "Use anything we have that's free to get the attacker off of us."

Police say they've received more than 2,400 tips in Spierer's case.

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