Learning Personal Defense Skills

In a continuing effort to give female campus and community members the tools and options to take care of themselves in threatening situations, University Police, in collaboration with the Titan Recreation Center, has scheduled a Rape Aggression Defense, or RAD, program beginning Saturday, March 3.

The nationwide program is specifically designed to teach women awareness and defensive techniques to prepare them to respond to possible physical assault. It is offered throughout the country and on many university campuses like Cal State Fullerton.

University Police has offered the program on campus since 2001, said Cpl. Iris Cortes, one of the trainers. The upcoming three-part, 12-hour session will be held from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturdays, March 3, 10 and 17 in the Harvey McKee Room of the Titan Student Union.

The first session consists of bookwork to help women identify and avoid potentially dangerous situations. The second and third sessions involve a gradual progression into physical defense techniques.

“Our final session is a voluntary segment in which students employ the techniques they have learned to break and run from police officers in padded suits in three different simulated attack scenarios,” said Cortes. “The simulation takes place in the safest controlled environment possible while continuing to allow participants to react and thereby reinforce learned techniques. The students then sit and watch the recorded simulation to further strengthen their skills.

“This is a self-empowerment program,” said Cortes. “The program is all about providing students, faculty and staff members options, so that, no matter where they are, they can feel they have plausible tools they can use to help combat a possible dangerous situation.”

A video of the training is available by clicking on the RAD logo located on the University Police website.

Sessions are open to 20 individuals and are on a first-come, first-serve basis. Cost is $50 for campus and community members who are not members of the Titan Recreation Center; $25 for campus students and recreation center members. The fee pays for the RAD manual available on the first day of class. Comfortable clothes and tennis shoes are required for the workshops. To reserve a space, call Titan Rec registration at 657-278-3978. For more inquiries, contact Cortes at 657-278-1626.