University brings back women’s self-defense program

RAD, which was founded by former U.S. Marine Larry Nadeau in 1989, aims to teach women a variety of self-defense techniques ranging from physical moves to awareness and prevention tips.

The system’s instructional objective is “to develop and enhance the options of self-defense, so they may become viable considerations to the woman who is attacked,” according to its website.

“This is a program we have believed in and we see it as important for women to defend themselves against sexual assault,” Deputy Director of Public Safety Charles Davall said. “We had a program in previous years but due to staffing problems we had to cancel it for probably three years.”

Suraiya Baluch, director of the Sexual Harassment/Assault Advising, Resources and Education (SHARE) office, said the program was first offered at Princeton in 2000.

“RAD is a great option for the community,” Baluch said in an e-mail. “A goal of the SHARE program is to let the Princeton community know what resources and options are available and then let folks choose what options feel right to them.”

The program at Princeton includes four weekly three-hour sessions that meet in Jadwin Gym. A round of classes began on Nov. 10 and will continue through Dec. 1.

Classes typically cost $25, but the University’s program is offered for free to women in the local community, including non-students.

In the past year, there have been several incidents of lewdness on campus. A cluster of incidents of both indecent exposure and inappropriate touching occurred in late April.

In October, students reported seeing an unidentified man exposing himself near Charter Club on Prospect Avenue. Over Fall Break, a man entered the women’s locker room in the Caldwell Field House and used students’ camera phones to record himself carrying out a lewd act.

Julia Meng ’13 said she had considering taking the course. “I’m not sure how effective it would be, but it would at least be a psychological comfort,” she explained.

The defense classes are jointly sponsored by the Department of Public Safety and SHARE.