Since 2009, Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) classes for women have been taught at no cost to USF St. Petersburg students, faculty and staff.
Now men will get a chance to participate.
The first male RAD will begin at USFSP in February. The course is similar to the existing women’s program, but will emphasize methods to prevent fights when encountering hostile situations. Students are expected to gain an elevated level of confidence and comfort.
The training is easy to learn. RAD teaches practical self-defense tactics, and awareness, avoidance and risk reduction strategies using certified instruction with a free lifetime return-practice policy, according to the USFSP Campus Safety programs website.
“RAD for women is geared towards how to defend yourself against an attacker, while the men’s course highlights avoiding conflict and introduces techniques to diffuse a situation in a non-violent way,” said Sgt. Walter Ewing, 49, the RAD instructor and coordinator for USFSP.
The men’s class provides education to identify and avoid aggressive behavior, reduce aggression and violence, resist and escape aggressive behavior, using hands-on, self-defense skills, according to the RAD for men webpage. The course is intended to empower students to select the most desirable options when accosted with aggressive behavior.
The safest self-defense technique for men is to diffuse a situation in a nonviolent way. “If men can avoid conflict to begin with, they probably won’t get hurt,” said Ewing.
But students will be prepared to deal with a situation that escalates and results in physical force.
After taking the RAD class, men are expected to feel stronger and more secure, based on results from questionnaires given at the end of the RAD course for women, which show “the female students have higher self-esteem and feel more empowered and comfortable in their daily lives,” said Ewing.
The free course begins with a presentation of methods to resolve difficult situations in an instructional environment in the campus police station’s conference room, followed by the physical portion, where students learn self-defense techniques at the USFSP Fitness Center.
Both the men’s and women’s course includes six, two-hour classes, which will run on Wednesdays from Feb. 4 to March 18, excluding spring break, at the fitness center. Students who sign up are expected to attend all six classes.
The men’s class will start at 6 p.m. and the women’s class will begin at 8 p.m. For more information about the course, contact Sgt. Walter Ewing at wewing@usfsp.edu or 727-873-4140. To sign up, contact Greg Haverlock at gjh1@mail.usf.edu or 727-873-4202. Registration will be open until midnight on Feb. 2.
