Keeping yourself safe in college is an important piece of education that all young adult women need to be aware of. One day, I was walking to my dorm room after class and I noticed a flyer for a self-defense course offered (for free, mind you!) at my school. So I said why not? I grabbed a few of my roommates and went to the four sessions of the course. I learned how to defend myself against an attacker, how to stop an attack before it happens, and how to be aware of my surroundings.
With the sudden idea that society seems to have taken that rape being no big deal and it’s okay to shrug off, campus police are stepping up to help fight, or rather, help women fight. Sergeant Jennifer Paluck leads the self-defense class, Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) at UNCW in hopes to prevent adduction if an attack were to occur. She educates young women on preventative steps on avoiding at risk social situations. Her specific goal is to teach women to avoid abduction.
The purpose of these classes is simple. “It’s solely for women to help to defend against men. Of course, we understand that men too are subject to attacks, but RAD is specific to [one being] abducted,” Sgt. Paluck said.
College campuses around the country are at risk for sexual assaults. Sexual assault statistics show that, nationally, one in four college women are victims of rape or attempted rape. 85 percent of those reported rapes on campus are acquaintance rapes, meaning the attacker was a friend or acquaintance of the victim. One in six female college students reported having been a victim of rape or attempted rape during the preceding year. 27 percent of women have experienced a rape or attempted rape since the age of 14.
Many colleges and universities will offer some type of class to help girls learn how to defend themselves. Find out if your college offers a self-defense class and sign up!
photo courtesy of istockphoto.com