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Get R.A.D.ICAL with Sexual Assault Prevention
Submitted by Becky Verzinski, RAD Instructor & Assistant Director of Residence Life, Towson University
Did you know…?
- One out of four college women polled was sexually assaulted during her four years at college (Ms. Magazine Study of Sexual Assault and Rape)
- Between 1973 and 1987, over 2.3 million women reported sexual assaults in the United States. 71% of these victims avoided being raped by taking self-protective measures (U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics)
- In 1988, rape victims were more likely to defend themselves than assault or robbery victims (Criminal Victimization in the U.S.)
Do you get upset over the amount of sexual assaults and rapes that occur on your campus or in your residence halls? Have you ever wished that you could do more to stop rape from occurring on your campus? Do you feel that the current educational and preventative sexual assault efforts are not protecting women students enough? Well, there is something you can do about it.
Rice University, Towson University, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and University of Maryland, College Park, are some of the institutions that utilize the Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) system to train women students, faculty and staff in a realistic, self-defense program that offers practical tactics and techniques.
The RAD program, founded in 1989 by Lawrence N. Nadeau, is a comprehensive, women-only course that teaches awareness, risk reduction, risk avoidance, and prevention, while progressing on to the basics of hands-on defense training. Although RAD techniques include self-defense and martial arts tactics, it is not a martial arts program. Certified RAD instructors, who must complete an extensive training program, teach it. They focus on teaching techniques such as kicks, blocks, and punches as well as defense moves for chokeholds, wrist grabs, and bear hugs.
Courses include 9 hours of training with an optional three additional hours of simulation attacks. Each student receives a manual and a lifetime practice policy once they complete the class. This means that any woman can join a RAD class anywhere in the world at no cost to refresh her skills.
The cost for students depends on each university, but most provide the service free of charge along with the participant’s manual. Class size is small and ranges from 8-12 students per class. Both men and women teach the basic self-defense course; however, all men must have a law enforcement background or be willing to submit to a background investigation. Additionally, there are other R.A.D. courses available that include key chain defense options, aerosol defense options, advanced self-defense and R.A.D for kids.
The start-up cost for a R.A.D. program ranges from $4,000-$6,000 which covers instructor certification, reference manuals, student gear and an aggressor suit. Most schools write grants or combine resources of various departments such as University Police, Women’s Center and Residence Life, to cover the costs of the start-up program.
If you would like more information, you can either call 1-888-472-3543 or search the Website at www.rad-systems.com
About the Author
Becky Verzinski is beginning her fourth year at Towson University, Baltimore, as an Assistant Director of Residence Life. Prior to working at Towson University, she served as the Director of the Stimson International Studies Living Learning Center at University at Stony Brook, Long Island, NY. Becky earned her M.A. in Student Affairs in Higher Education, and BA in Journalism/Public Relations from Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP), and currently attends Morgan State University in the Educational Leadership and Urban Studies doctoral program. While in Maryland, Becky has served as the treasurer of MCPA, the conference chair for the MCPA yearly drive-in event, an ACPA placement support team member, and on the MACUHO programming committee. During the spring 2002 semester, she collaborated with the University Police to bring the Rape Aggression Defense program (RAD) to campus.