Students Learn "R.A.D." Self-Defense

By Lucia Rodriguez

The University of Houston- Clear Lake Police Department held a three day Rape Aggression Defense class March 16; the R.A.D class was free for UHCL female students and faculty, staff.  The overwhelming popularity has led to a waiting list for future R.A.D. classes.     
 R.A.D. founder Larry Nadeau developed R.A.D. Systems to address the self-defense needs of women.  No prior physical training is needed to participate and classes are open to women to women of all ages and abilities.  
 The class emphasizes risk reduction and avoidance strategies. Concepts covered in the class are confrontational dynamics, principles of physical defense and postures of conflict.    Students then apply techniques and concepts discussed in the classroom into realistic simulation scenarios.  The goal of these simulations is to develop confidence in the use of self-defense techniques acquired.   
 Most R.A.D instructors have law enforcement backgrounds, but it is not required.   All potential instructors must pass a criminal background check and go through a rigorous certification course.      
R.A.D.  is endorsed by the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators.   More than 250,000 women have attended the R.A.D. Basic Physical Defense class, since Nadeau first introduced it in 1989.  
Although, dates are not available yet for future R.A.D. class offerings; students may still sign up for R.A.D.  by contacting Sergeant Paul Jones at 281 283-2228.     
“The training is meant to be intense so students can transfer it to real life,” Jones said.   
R.A.D.  is not just self-defense to avoid a rape situation; it can be applied in other situations where a female may encounter a physical assault situation.  The hands-on portion of the class is intense and takes a role-playing approach; students play the victim and the trainer plays the role of the assailant.  Students are placed in  mock tenuous and arduous real-life situations, the purpose is to teach the student to think smart and use the right self-defense maneuvers under duress.
"On some occasions the victim may know the assailant and the assault or rape can happen very subtlety: the classes show you how to defend yourself from these perpetrators," said Paul Willingham, UHCL Police chief.
In two-thirds of rapes that occur, the victim knows the rapist, a 50% of rapes and sexual assault incidents occur within a 1-mile radius of the victim’s home.
The advice the police would give women would be “Vigilance and awareness,” said Willingham.          
If you or someone you know is a victim of rape and need help, there are resources to help you.  UHCL’s own CARE Team can assist, and you may remain anonymous.  You may call the CARE Team at 281-283 -2273.
Other resources available include:
 Bay Area Turning Point 281 286-2525
Houston Area Women’s Center 713- 528-6798
Resource Crisis Center of Galveston County 1- 888-919-SAFE (7233)