ETSU’s Campus Recreation and Counseling Center are sponsoring RAD, Rape Aggression Defense, classes for this spring.
RAD is a non-credit, 12-hour class offered to inform and teach women prevention and self-defense techniques in attack situations. ETSU is offering the basic RAD class which teaches fundamental self-defense and prevention skills.
The purpose of this class is not to advocate violence or misuse self-defense, but is primarily focused on prevention skills, and as a last resort, self-defense.
Larry Nadeau, a former law enforcer, developed the RAD idea in 1989. Nadeau did not create the program on a fitness level, but made RAD user friendly to adapt to all fitness levels. His goal was to create a program that women of all ages could utilize in everyday life.
Nadeau said the purpose of RAD is “to develop and enhance the options of self-defense, so they may become viable considerations to the woman who is attacked.”
This program is offered nationwide and is usually a nine- to 12-hour class. Some classes in the country offer a nine-hour class which is absent of a simulation class.
The simulation class is where the instructors dress in a simulation suit and the women are able to apply the skills they have learned into reality practice.
Thanks to Campus Recre-ation’s donation of simulation equipment and a class meeting area, ETSU has one of the classes that offer the simulation. In the past, ETSU has brought in off-campus instructors, but this spring RAD-certified ETSU staff will be teaching.
RAD is offered on a 12-hour schedule consisting of one class a week that lasts for three hours. The class covers a four-week period on ETSU’s campus in Center for Physical Activity.
Class scheduling is flexible and anyone interested may attend. There is a fee for attending, but once the fee is paid, RAD students are able to go to other classes offered anywhere in the nation. The purpose of this one-time fee is to encourage women to attend the class again to refresh memory and skills and to build on the skills they learn.
Individual or group classes interested in RAD are welcome. For more information call Kim Bushore-Maki at 439-4841 or e-mail at bushorem@mail.etsu.edu.
Men or women interested in information about the social implications for violence against women are invited to attend other programs offered on ETSU. Some of these programs include the “Vagina Monologues” that will take place on Feb. 23.
For more information regarding this, contact Dr. Amber Kinser at 439-7571 or e-mail at kinsera@mail.etsu.edu.

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