Rape Aggression Defense System courses offered at Texas State
By Jessica Sinn
University News Service
September 10, 2007
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Women, especially those who live in small college towns, can easily be lulled into a false sense of security. Many of these unsuspecting females believe their college campuses are safe havens and don’t think twice about jogging alone at night or walking to their cars in dark parking lots.
In an effort to spread rape prevention awareness among college students and community members, the Rape Aggression Defense System team will offer life-saving self defense classes.
The A.D. Team and Texas State University-San Marcos Police will provide a two-day comprehensive R.A.D course 6 p.m. Sept. 11 and Sept. 18. in the J.C. Kellam building. The classes are free and open to the public.
Police Officer Otto Glenewinkle said the international program provides defense training and guidance for preventing and avoiding physical assaults. He said he recommends carrying defense weapons; however, it’s important to know basic self defense maneuvers when facing a fight-or-flight situation.
“Any mechanical means that you use to defend yourself can fail,” Glenewinkle said. “Usually in a panic situation when someone faces actual stress, they fall back to gross motor skills, which are basically what we teach.”
Glenewinkle said simple techniques taught in the R.A.D classes can be used to effectively fight off an attacker and ultimately save a woman from becoming a rape victim.
“The first technique we teach is the ‘block and parry,’ which is used to block the attacker when he comes at you from the side,” Glenewinkle said. “After learning that basic block technique, you can employ more advanced strikes and kicks.”
The first course will feature defense concepts including instructions for using defense weapons, rape prevention tactics and basic martial arts techniques. The second class will include hands-on training, where students can practice their kicks, blocks and strikes on “red man,” a well-padded instructor posing as an aggressor.
Glenewinkle said depending on staffing, the campus police try to host at least two basic and two advanced courses each semester at
“We don’t want to turn anyone down,” Glenewinkle said. “One person we can keep from being sexually assaulted is in the win-column for us, and we did what we needed to do.”