The first couple of months coming back to Blacksburg are exciting. It’s the start of a new school year where you get to see old friends, meet new friends and enjoy being a college student. We all know what it’s like – we go out, have fun and get to enjoy the college scene. That’s why we need to talk about sexual assault on college campuses. 1 in 4 women are sexually assaulted in the four years they are at college, with the majority of the cases taking place in the months of August, September and October. This past summer, I took self-defense with Officer Tarter in the R.A.D. (Rape Aggression Defense) office located next to DX. Here are five reasons why I think all girls on campus should consider taking self-defense too!
1. Confidence
I would describe myself as a fairly confident person on most occasions. However, sometimes when my friends and I go out, there are situations where I feel meek and shy. Have you ever thought about the what-ifs? What if my friends went off with a cute guy and left me alone at a party? What if my ride left me stranded and I had no way to get home? Going to self-defense isn’t only about learning moves to get yourself out of a bad situation; it’s about feeling confident that you COULD protect yourself. You’ll most likely never have to use the moves that you learned in self-defense, but it will make you feel better to know that you can fight.
2. Awareness
When most people think assault, they think of a young woman walking down the street at night by herself and a stranger attacks her. There are some instances like that (and the media will put those in the news). But in most cases – especially on a college campuses- you’re going to be acquainted with your attacker in some shape or form. It could be the guy you met at a party, a friend that walks you back to your dorm or even your boyfriend. The most important lesson that I learned in self-defense wasn’t how to kick a guy in his “no-no” zone; it was to always trust your gut. If someone is giving you creeper vibes, don’t be afraid to remove yourself from their line of sight, even if they are your friends.
3. Fighters reflex
Taking Self-defense taught me how to have a fighter’s reflex. The last session of R.A.D. is a fight night where you put all the moves you learned into a “real” situation. You get all geared up and then, when it’s time to fight, the panic sets in. Honestly, I forgot most of the moves I was taught and that’s okay. However, I hope that if I found myself in a situation where I would have to fight, one or two of those moves I did remember would help me get away from an attacker and allow me to run and find help.
4. Empowerment/ Girl Power
We are women! Hear us roar! Guys shouldn’t get to have all the fun. Women like to fight too. Be your own hero! I personally want to be able to fight like Black Widow and Super Woman because they don’t need a man to come and save them. They’re badass. Knowing that you can save yourself is all the power you need. At fight night, I was nervous before I started fighting. Then, once I got into it and beat those men down, it was a high unlike any other. It’s the same feeling you get when you go on the scariest roller-coaster at Six Flags and after you get off you can’t stop smiling. That’s the same feeling I got when I punched a man in the head for the first time.
5. Fun
Self-defense is FUN. I highly recommend that you get a group of your friends together to take a course. I went with members of my volleyball team and we ended up having a great time. Having friends there to cheer you on, makes you want to punch and kick harder. You don’t get anything out of self-defense if you don’t give it 100%. Even if you don’t have any friends sign up to take a course with you, don’t let that deter you from going. Going to self-defense is a bonding experience. You can meet so many great people that you immediately bond with.
Self defense is a necessary ability in college and luckily, Tech makes it really easy. Be sure to check out the R.A.D. office ASAP