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Classes teach women defense
 Media Credit: Ryan Henry Heather Robinson practices some moves on instructor Jen Sell Matzke at the self-defense workshop sponsored by the SCSU Women�s Center Tuesday evening in Shoemaker hall.
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Tuesday night, 10 women sat in the TV lounge of Shoemaker Hall dressed in tennis shoes and track pants. They looked as though they were about to engage in an intense workout. However, they were going to learn a few basic maneuvers that could save their lives.
These women participated in the first day of their self-defense training. RAD (Rape Aggression Defense) has taught over 250,000 women self-defense moves nationwide.
Sponsored by the SCSU Women's Center and funded by the SCSU student government, RAD offers a three day training course to any woman who wants to register.
With over 4,000 instructors, RAD has made a lot of progress since its conception in 1989. Larry Nadeau, a former U.S. marine and police officer created the RAD techniques. He designed the program with his female co-workers in mind, realizing that they need to protect themselves.
For the past four years, Barb Novak and Jennifer Sell Matzke have taught self-defense classes with RAD.
Tuesday night the instuctors stood before the group of eager women and broke down the basics of personal protection. Going through different strokes, stances, blocks, punches and verbal commands, Novak and Matzke showed the women what to do when their safety was compromised.
Filling out release, wellness and training forms, the 10 participants glanced at each other. After paging through the manuals they received, the look on most of their faces was one of uncertainty. They asked, "What exactly had we signed ourselves up for?"
In her earlier days, Novak realized the dire need for self-defense."I was sitting where you are and I thought, 'I want to teach because I believe in it so much,"' Novak said.
Novak and Matzke led the women through risk reduction techniques, citing specific examples of how to become more aware of suspicious surroundings. "Ninety percent of self-defense is risk reduction and awareness," Novak said.
The somber mood ended as the women got to their feet. After addressing some common ways an attacker can violate the women's safety, determination shone on their faces. Starting with basic movements, the participants became less afraid of possible scenarios and more focused on learning the techniques.
Valerie Moe, a 21-year-old sophomore at SCSU, said she heard about the self-defense course through an announcement made in her Intro to Women's Studies class. With a four month trip to Chile on her calendar, she stressed she wanted to feel that safe on her own,"I've always wanted to take a self-defense class, just to be prepared," Moe said.
Mary Otremba, SCSU registration help desk coordinator, another one of Tuesday night's participants, felt there would be a practical application for self-defense in her life.
"I like to take walks so I'm out by myself a lot," she said.
Novak and Matzke stressed the importance of the classes allowing only women. They explained that women are some times apt to feel intimidated by male presence when learning about personal safety.
"It is not male bashing by any means," Novak said, referring to the 'women only' policy. Men fight men differently than they fight women, she said.
Novak went on to illustrate the point by saying a man rarely backhands another man. Yet, when it comes to hitting a woman, the method becomes more common.
With the completion of the nine-hour training course, each woman gets a manual signed by Novak and Matzke. These signatures serve as a certification, allowing the women to participate in any future RAD classes offered nationwide.
The classes continue April 8th and 15th from 6 to 9 p.m. in Shoemaker Hall.
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