Sexual
assault agency gives self-defense training
in safe setting
By Brittani Bixler
Online Forty-Niner
Contributing Writer
Swift kicks accompanied with shouts of “kee-yah” pierced through
the peaceful night as women gathered at Cal State Long Beach to attend a self-defense
workshop Monday evening.
The Women’s Resource Center(WRC) invited the Sexual Assault Crisis Agency
(SACA) to provide an educational workshop, hosted in PE-1. The three-hour self-defense
workshop was open to all women affiliated with the CSULB campus. SACA prevention
educator Evelin Barragan led the workshop, which began with her explanation of
why this particular self-defense class taught by SACA is so unique.
“
This is not a traditional way of teaching. This is women teaching women how
to defend themselves,” Barragan said.
No men were allowed. Barragan holds the philosophy that by only allowing women
into the class, she is helping to create a safe place where women can learn to
be assertive and aware without being uncomfortable about men watching.
Statistics on sexual assault were shot out at the participants to remind them
why these kinds of workshops are so important.
“
One in three women will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime,” Barragan
said.
The first part of the workshop focused on awareness. Barragan, who graduated
from CSULB with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, pointed out, “We
are not so aware when we feel safe, which is why 90 percent of sexual assaults
are from people we know.”
She said awareness includes recognizing how many exits are in a room or what
the person standing next to you in line is wearing.
With the help of Mary Vasquez, a trained rape crisis counselor, Barragan demonstrated
different examples of being assertive. This included pairing up with other students
and practicing saying “no” with authority as their partner walked
toward them, pretending to be an attacker.
The nervous giggles of the women dissipated as they were asked to imagine themselves
in a real-life dangerous situation where their voice may be their first available
weapon.
The workshop commenced with the physical technique lessons, which taught how
to match up women’s strengths with men’s weaknesses. The obvious
vulnerable male areas were talked about, such as the groin. However, workshop
attendees were surprised to learn of lesser-known areas of vulnerability, including
the esophagus, nose and knees.
During the hour-long interactive demonstrations, Barragan and Sanchez exhibited
many different moves which could help women defend themselves in the instant
they find themselves in imminent danger.
Hammer fist, palm strike and nail scratch were just a few of the terms used to
describe the many possible self-defense techniques, which SACA teaches in their
workshops.
Each attendee was asked to provide a “what if?” question in which
they generated a hypothetical situation where they could not think of how they
would escape.
The questions ranged from, “What if your hands are tied and
you are face down on the ground?” to “What if the only way you can
defend yourself is to poke out someone’s eyes?”
Barragan did her
best to answer all the questions and give a physical example to the different
scenarios.
Early this year, California State Assemblywoman Jenny Oropeza introduced a bill
that would establish mandatory sexual assault education and prevention classes
for all incoming students of community colleges, Cal State University and UC
campuses.
Lynn Coenen, WRC assistant director, also feels strongly about the
importance of women’s awareness in the area of sexual assault and self-defense.
She helps make the WRC a comfortable place for women to go if they seek help
as a result of sexual assault.
“
We refer students to SACA if they don’t want to receive help from the
counselors available here.”
SACA provides a 24-four hour hotline where those affected by a sexual assault
can receive free counseling from the many certified crisis counselors.
Victims
of sexual assault are referred to as “survivors” at SACA, which alludes
to women’s strength, a trait SACA feels is often underestimated.
One workshop attendee shared her motive for attending the class on Monday.
“
I am a commuter and I am constantly getting comments from men which make me feel
uncomfortable. I just wanted to learn how to defend myself in case I ever need
to.”
Coenen urged female CSULB students interested in attending a SACA workshop to
phone the WRC. There they will be put on a contact list to receive information
about SACA’s next visit.
Barragan closed with the theme of the workshops.
“
We focus on empowerment and that is what has been taken away from women when
they are sexually assaulted.”
|
