Self-defense class raises awareness

The raping of women occurs in the United States at an alarming rate.

Recent attacks on women on our campus reported to the University Police have some women concerned about fighting for their lives.

Rape Aggression Defense Systems, a self-defense program offered at Cal State Long Beach, is designed to help females make logical, possibly life-saving choices if assaulted.

The program is the largest women's self-defense system in the country and is the only program endorsed by the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators. The program teaches women to take an active role in their self-defense and psychological health. It was founded at CSULB in September 1998 and has had female students, faculty and staff participants.

"It takes a woman-to-woman approach, whereas a lot of other self-defense classes teach men and women, making it very broad," Amy Yardley, CSULB student. "R.A.D. is very specific on that it tells you exactly where to hit the attacker, and exactly how to get away."

During a study conducted by the United States Department of Justice from 1973 to 1987, women in the United States reported over 2.3 million sexual assaults. Of those women, 71 percent avoided rape by taking self-protective measures, according to United States Department of Justice Bureau of Statistics.

During Rape Aggression Defense Systems students formulate risk strategies, identification of rape mentality and receive education on the basic principles of defense. The principles include: decreasing reaction time when an attack occurs, developing a plan of action for assault situations, utilizing distraction techniques, identifying vulnerable physical areas on an attacker, using personal weapons, and most importantly, escaping.

The University Police are in collaboration with the Long Beach District Attorney's Office, a sexual assault counselor, a forensic nurse and the East Long Beach Urgent Care Center to provide services to the Sexual Assault Response Team, according to University Police Sgt. Bonnie Myers.

The purpose of the team is to provide sexual assault survivors with medical, legal and psychological support, Myers said. The team administers a comfortable, comprehensive medical examination and forensic interview. They use highly advanced equipment that can detect and does photograph the physical effects and evidence from rape more accurately than emergency room equipment. In Long Beach, the conviction rate of rapists is 85 percent due to the efforts of the team, Myers said.

Rape Aggression Defense Systems is offered strictly for women. The cost is $12, which pays for the self-defense manual and a lifetime policy for participants. The lifetime policy allows any previous Rape Aggression Defense Systems student to retake the course offered by any. instructor free of charge. The next course will be offered in January.

"It helps you pinpoint your weaknesses so that next time you'll know how to get out of it," Yardley said. "It's such a reality because you never really know what it's like until you're there.

• Counseling available for stressed students
• Scholar to visit Africa
• Self-defense class raises awareness
• Frugal spending yields generous gifts
• Bike consumers save most cash at mega-store
• Small explosion halts chemistry class

• Give hope for the holidays
• Holiday programming too early in season
• Customer service not available
• Maxson looks forward
• Castro parties with Elian

• Disney to take on new adventure
• Fall Photos
• Chartroom sails amid mediocrity
• Listen to me: Chan, the critic, gives his slant on the best holiday gift ideas
• Alumnus dwells in a galaxy far, far away
• Wrestling Roundup looks to the new year