From 2002 to 2005, Ohio University had 163 reported sexual assaults on campus and in adjacent neighborhoods.
Nationally, one in six women and one in 33 men is victim to sexual assault in his lifetime, according to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network’s Web site.
OU police officer Brandon King has decided to do something about the problem.
Six years ago King began visiting residence halls to teach basic self-defense classes. Two years later he began teaching Rape Assault Defense sessions at Ping for $35 per person.
“It’s kind of like a utility belt,” King said. “You equip yourself with another tool.”
He said he recently considered turning his classes into an official OU course, something he said would increase the amount of time spent learning the skills.
“It’d be nice to have more time to learn more,” said senior Katie Trejo, a resident assistant in Armbruster House. “I’d love a class like that.”
Trejo has asked King to teach his RAD program all three years she’s been an RA on South Green. These sessions were free and lasted one-and-a-half hours, with about 10 women attending each one. During last quarter’s program, some men joined for the group to practice on, Trejo said.
“He makes it entertaining, and they got a lot out of it,” she said.
King said the plan to make the program an OU class is still in its “baby stages” and would have to go through a lot of “red tape” before being passed.
Ming Li, director of the School of Recreation and Sport Sciences, said he would be happy to have such a course in his department but finding the resources to pay qualified teachers is often in question. Currently, the department offers karate, tae kwon do and judo classes, Li said. Graduate students teach many of the activity courses.
In addition to Li, Amanda Childress, assistant director of Health Promotion, said she thinks the added longevity would help to preserve the physical and assertiveness skills King teaches.
At the same time, Childress cannot say that any class would necessarily reduce the amount of sexual assaults that occur. People tend to put their guards down around their acquaintances and friends, which makes it easier for them to be coerced into sex, Childress said. Many don’t know that qualifies as assault.
“The more [people] know, the better decisions they can make,” Childress said. “They must communicate what they want out of a relationship and [where] they want boundaries.”
Part of King’s program involves teaching confidence, self-empowerment and how to avoid situations where rape might be an issue. Although King would like more people involved in his programs, he realizes that schedules often conflict. Still, he believes RAD is time well spent.
“If I can teach two people a quarter, and if they feel more confident, then it’s worth it,” King said.
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