The statistics make everyone think, “Will it be me?”
One is five women and one in 71 men will be raped at some point in their lives.
One in three women and one in six men will experience some sort of sexual violence in their lifetime.
Twenty-seven percent of college women have experienced some form of unwanted sexual contact.
Each year there are 800,000 reported sexual assaults.
There are at least another 68 percent of sexual assaults that are not reported.
“We want to make sure everybody understands that this is a very real issue,” University of Illinois Police Training Institute Director Michael Schlosser said.
Schlosser alongside Mahomet-Seymour P.E. Teacher Kristen Allen, who used to be a police deputy, used the opportunity through the Mahomet Area Youth Club’s after-school B.L.A.S.T. program to prepare high school aged females about how to defend themselves in the event of an attack.
“The goal is to empower every student that we have in here to realize they can fight back, they can protect themselves, and they have the ability to do that,” Schlosser said.
The course was developed after students expressed an interest for Allen to teach about self-defense.
Allen immediately reached out to Schlosser who trained her years prior.
Over the course of the last five weeks, Schlosser and Allen have taught a group of approximately 40 girls simple techniques to defend themselves in the event of an attack.
The group started at week one by meeting in the library, watching a video and talking about situations where they would be susceptible to an attack.
The girls learned that it’s not wise to get in an elevator with just one other person, and that if they feel uncomfortable walking next to a stranger on an empty street, they have the right to walk on the other side of the street.
“I think sometimes they think they are being rude,” Allen said. “Just teaching them that you can say, ‘I’ll take the next one, thank you.’ Tactics like that, they are very simple. Sometimes you teach that, and then it gives them that permission and confidence that I can do this.”
Schlosser wanted to drive home the point that an assailant will look for the easiest target. He encouraged the girls to walk in groups.
“When they have two or more people together, they are less likely to be a target,” he said. “If they look more confident, they are less likely to be a target than someone who looks meek or scared.”
He also talked to them about date rape drugs, including GHB, which is put into a drink. But, Schlosser said, the drink is usually the preferred date rape drug.
“The number one date rape drug is simply alcohol,” he said. “People drinking to the point where they have no control.”
Over the next four weeks, the girls learned how to stay in control.
Using fists, elbows, knees and feet, the girls repeated several simple moves, gaining confidence and power each week.
“If someone attacks you, grabs you or comes towards you, there are very simple things you can do; there are hundreds of techniques, but if we can teach them just a handful of techniques and tactics that are very simple, and show them the proper mechanics and get lots of reps on a few things, then they will be ready to apply those things,” Schlosser said.
Allen added, “In a scenario where it is real life, your fine motor skills go away. So the simpler the better, the simple and practiced. That’s what your body is going to go to. Knowing that you have those moves that are easy to remember, you’re body is going to react.”
By week three, Schlosser and Allen were being pushed back by the force of the girls hitting and kicking the practice bags they held.
“They are getting strong on their techniques, and that alone will build their confidence,” Schlosser said. “With all the scary things out there in the world, just having confidence and knowing I can protect myself, I have the right to protect myself. I don’t have to be meek. I can go there.”
Yesterday, the last day of class, the girls had the opportunity to showcase what they learned as Schlosser put on full-body padding so that the girls could emulate what they might do if they were attacked.
Allen was standing beside the girls to coach them through the practice event.
“They will get out, and they will leave with confidence,” Schlosser said.
Faculty and staff at Mahomet-Seymour High School have already approached Allen about hosting a course for them in the future. Allen believes with the success of this first round, additional students will want to be trained, too.
