Women at the University are taking safety into their own hands with self-defense classes, learning stances and protective moves to ward off potential offenders.
“We’re going to show you what to do if you get kicked or thrown to the floor and how to get up,” said Jacqui Tabor, a certified Rape Aggression Defense System instructor and fitness coordinator at the Rec Center. She spoke to the class as they warmed up and said with confidence, “Cautious contact … stay back” and “Defensive stance … NO!”
At a town hall meeting last week, one audience member told Chancellor Mark Emmert she was on a waiting list for a RAD class. She asked Emmert if he planned to offer more classes, and he assured her he would end the waiting list.
Kathy Saichuk, RAD coordinator at the Student Health Center, said the waiting list did not last long because Wellness Education and Outreach Services added two more classes a few weeks ago to keep up with the demand.
Wellness Education started offering RAD classes to female students four years ago, giving three classes each semester.
Tabor said the University will keep having more as long as people are interested.
“Initially after news of an attack, people start to sign up, but then they get back into the swing of things and attendance gets less,” Tabor said. “Some people say it’s too much time, and yeah, but it’s either 12 hours or your life.”
Margaret Guidry, a political science junior, has taken the class before but came back because her class did not do the attack simulation.
      Guidry said she thinks it is important to take a self-defense class because although she may not do well in the simulations, the practice can let her know where her weaknesses are.
Christina Benjamin, a history junior, heard about the class from Guidry and signed up because of a general interest in self-defense and to stay safe in “the world today.”
“The more you practice, the more likely you are to get out of an awkward situation,” Benjamin said. “It takes time, but it’s worth it because that can determine your life.”
Benjamin said she likes being a lifetime member of RAD because she can go to other classes anywhere at anytime to brush up on her skills.
She said many women may think they know what to do if an attacker strikes, but the class has shown her easier ways to handle a sudden assault.
“They taught us how to get out of a choke hold,” Benjamin said. “It’s really simple, but effective, and I know I’ve thought of more difficult ways.”
Saichuk said attendance for previous classes has been poor, but in the past six months classes have been overflowing.
“This class wasn’t full until Carrie Yoder was killed,” Saichuk said. “Our February and November classes weren’t even half full, but after everything, they filled up quick.”
She said the new classes are getting full as she calls everyone on the waiting list, but there are often a few people who drop out or do not show up.
“We had 35 people enrolled for this class, but only 27 showed up,” Saichuk said. “It’s frustrating sometimes because that’s eight spots we could have filled.”
A RAD class consists of four meetings in which instructors give a lecture class where participants fill out paperwork and get information on different situations that may happen. The next three classes give physical simulations for women to interact with the “attacker.”
“We do ground defense situations, which is the idea of being attacked in your bed,” Saichuk said. “We also have two people in protective gear trained to be the aggressors. We have three different scenarios that we practice to make it as real as possible, but we also make it safe.”
Two additional RAD classes will be held April 23, 24, 30 and May 1 from 6-9 p.m., and May 20-22 from 3-7 p.m.