Kennesaw State University Safe and Sound Police Department has developed a new program to teach men about what they can do to reduce violence. The Resisting Aggression Defense program for men will start sessions this October and is free to students, faculty and staff.
Police Field Training Officer Trudi Vaughan said she organized RAD for men after receiving many requests from male students who were interested in learning basic self-defense.
“It doesn’t insult or diminish your ability to be a man if you walk away,” Vaughan said.
RAD for men was developed from the Rape Aggression Defense for women, a course offered by KSU PD since 2002.
“It focuses a lot on what your responsibilities are as a man,” Vaughan said. “When women say ‘no,’ it doesn’t mean ‘no until you talk me into it’; it means no.”
The RAD for men mission statement is “To provide responsible information and tactical options of self-defense for men who find themselves in confrontational situations.”
Vaughan said KSU PD hopes to begin offering RAD for kids beginning next summer, and the first weapons defense RAD course in January 2013.
“We focus a lot on recognition, awareness, [and] risk reduction, so that they don’t become a victim,” Vaughan said.
There are 10 RAD for women basic instructors, eight RAD for men basic instructors, two certified instructors for advanced RAD for women and weapons defense, and two RAD for kids instructors.
“Typically males are raised to always stand up and fight,” Vaughan said. “The whole educational aspect of this is letting them know that it’s okay to make a better choice, a better decision.”
Those interested in attending RAD for men should email communitycontact@kennesaw. edu. Each RAD class has room for 25-26 people, and Vaughan said she’s had to turn away 50- 70 students from past classes.
Last meeting, the Student Government Association voted unanimously to collaborate with KSU PD to fund equipment and costs associated with the RAD program. For more information, see the SGA Beat inside.
Let me get this straight. Women taking this class are educated in armed and unarmed fighting, and men are being educated on how not to rape people, and how to run away from fights.
This is misandry at its worst. These classes classify men as potential threats to be neutralized through reeducation or combat intervention. What about all the cases of female on male rape? Do men not need to be educated how to defend themselves?