Campus safety has always been an important issue for college students, but since a 21-year-old woman from the University of Vermont was abducted, sexually assaulted and murdered in October, the focus on self-protection and safety has increased even further. Here at Tufts, female students can learn to avoid harm through the Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) program, which began in the early 1990s to teach women assault prevention and defense techniques as well as ways to protect themselves in dangerous situations.
The program, an ExCollege course taught by TUPD officers, has become an increasingly important resource as campus safety has gained visibility as an issue.
"We help heighten a woman's level of awareness and [teach her to] open her eyes to her surroundings," TUPD Officer Jessica Bruno, an instructor for the RAD classes, said. "Most of the class is hands-on, designed specifically for women."
The classes, which are held once a week, focus on teaching students effective strategies for fighting back if they are ever attacked.
"The idea behind the RAD system is based on [women's] strengths," Bruno said. "The physical stances of how to punch and kick utilize where we can derive more power, usually our hips. We teach the right way to stand and use hip power, and things like wrist-breaking grabs, choke holds, different target areas to strike, vulnerable locations [on a man's body]."
According to RAD literature, the system claims that its objective is "to develop and enhance options of self-defense so that they may become more viable considerations to the woman who is attacked." Bruno's co-instructor, Officer Mark Roche, explained that defense training can give students the mental resolve to avoid becoming victims.
"[The class is] hands-on to give the woman the confidence and power to handle themselves in a situation," Roche said.
Although much of the class focuses on physical defense, Roche said the class is important mostly to heighten women's level of awareness about the dangers they face as college-aged women.
"I see a lot of women walking and talking on their cell phones with their heads down," Roche said. "Women should walk with their heads held high, which shows confidence and makes them more aware of their surroundings. They can know that the closest campus telephone is 500 feet away or that they have an escape."
Bruno shared this philosophy. "We're not teaching girls to beat someone up, but to survive," she said.
One unique component of the RAD courses is that they are open only to women. According to Bruno, there's a reason for this.
"We would be giving away our secrets to men," she said. "We can't let potential attackers know certain techniques that we use, because that would defeat the purpose."
As a result, the class is taught in confidentiality, and the only males permitted are police officers or men with special permission and background checks.
"We are aware that there are sexual assault survivors in the class," Bruno said. "Sometimes, people go through the class and we don't even know that [they were victims], but sometimes, people learn to feel comfortable [in the class] and share their experience."
Roche and Bruno both said they have heard only positive feedback from women who have taken the class. They shared the story of one woman who was followed by a man in New York. She walked into a shoe store and would not leave until she had received a police escort to safely return home.
"She was aware and didn't have to use physical force, but she was able to call for help," Bruno said.
The officers recommend that women yell "fire" rather than "help" and shout phrases like "What do you want?" or "Get away from me" in dangerous situations instead of screaming, because it will attract more attention from bystanders.
Women should use eye contact to acknowledge potential attackers and walk confidently. According to the officers, most attackers look for women with a lack of confidence because they appear unwilling to put up a fight and will be more likely to submit.
The TUPD has several other programs to help maintain safety. The Safety Escort Program allows students - both male and female - to call the TUPD for a police escort if they feel unsafe traveling on campus or a short distance off campus.
Roche also noted that the Tufts' lighting committee occasionally assesses the lighting level and safety around the campus and works with the TUPD and facilities organization to improve lighting in dangerous locations.
In addition, the ResCop program is designed to create a positive liaison between dormitories and the police. One night per semester, an officer answers questions and offers safety advice to residents in each dorm. The TUPD also posts safety alerts as soon as possible if a dangerous incident occurs on campus.
Rape Aggression Defense classes are available through the ExCollege next semester, and courses for faculty and staff will be offered this winter starting Dec. 13 and Jan. 24. respectively.
