Womens Self-Defense |
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“A rape prevention class is about giving women the tools they need to protect themselves without having to depend entirely on others. Those tools have to be in place before they are needed, because an attacker will give you no time to learn.”
Programs Offered
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- 1 hour talk (brief presentation on the dangers of sexual predators as well as a few basic safety points)
Location: sponsor provided - 2 hour demo (same as one hour talk plus demonstrations of several physical resistance techniques. Smaller groups may get some limited hand-on training)
Location: sponsor provided - 4 hour rape prevention seminar (Includes lecture, hands-on training, discussion, verbal assertiveness, threat assessment and recognition.)
Locations: Various locations in the triangle including the NBS Gym. - 7 week women’s safety course (more in-depth exploration of the 4 hour course. Includes auto safety, lowlight awareness, and padded assailant training)
Location: Meredith Women’s College - Specialty classes (intermediate classes for graduates of the 4 hour or 7 week courses. Some classes include Ground fighting, Improvised Weapons, Padded Assailant
Training, and Defending Against Tactical Edged Weapons)
Location: Various
No Observers are Allowed in Class
Contact Info
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Chip Slade: bushidowsd@hotmail.com
Chip Slade is an AWSDA Certified Rape Prevention Instructor and is the Regional Representative for the American Women's Self Defense Association. He teaches women's safety at Meredith College and is the head instructor for the Bushido Judo School 's Women's Self Defense Program. He is also the writer of a quarterly column on Women's Self Defense for the Fisted Rose. Chip is certified as a Confined Area Safety Training Instructor through the Modern Warrior Defense Tactics Institute and has studied karate, kali, boxing, aikido, judo, and Brazilian jujitsu. His main focus has always been to find better ways to stop sexual assault.
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Location: We have taught classes at Duke, UNCG, Peace, and Meredith colleges as well as holding closed classes for various women's groups, businesses, and the Carolina Roller Girls. All classes except for the 7 week course are arranged to meet interest, so please contact us to find out when the next class is or to begin arranging one or your own. For the 7 week course, please visit the Meredith website for time, location, and cost.
FAQ
(click on the question to see the answer)
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Q. I’m not the type of person that gets sexually assaulted. Why should I take the class?
A. There is no such thing as “type” when talking about sexual assault. The FBI estimates that 1 out of every 3 women in America will be involved in a sexual assault. Race, religion, occupation, financial incomes, age, dress… rape happens everywhere, to all types of people, from 3 year old children to 83 year old grandmothers. And EVERYBODY thinks they live in a safe neighborhood.
Q. I have a gun/knife/dog/husband/alarm. Why should I take the time out of my life to learn how to defend myself?
A. This is the most common reason women give for not taking a rape prevention class. Actually, it’s the most common reason husbands/boyfriends/brothers/fathers give for not letting women go to a rape prevention class. It’s great to have a big strong brother looking after you, but there is no way in the world he can always be there every minute of your life. The same thing can be said about a dog or a gun. Just because you learn to protect yourself doesn’t mean you can’t still use those other things; it means you’re not entirely dependent on them. Learning how to protect yourself gives you an extra layer of protection, just in case those other things aren’t there or don’t work.
Q. How old do you recommend students be?
A. Because we do discuss rape (though not graphically, by any means) the answer is “dating age.” If a girl is mature enough to go on a date, then she should be able to handle everything we do and talk about in class.
Q. I’m a guy and I want to help stop rape. What can I do?
A. A ton. Rape is without a doubt one the worst crimes imaginable. The psychological damage long outlasts the physical, and not just for the survivor. The repercussions of a sexual assault are felt by the survivor’s friends, family, and loved ones for years, often for their entire lives. In fact, it would be fair to say that a sexual assault should and often does effect the entire community. It should not, therefore, be left up to the survivor alone to deal with the problem; it is the community’s responsibility. Get on the web. There are a lot of very good organizations that could use your help (www.durhamresponse.org just as an example). Don’t joke about rape. Don’t allow those around you to take pride in intimidating women. Don’t let your loved ones become entirely dependent on you for their safety. Instead, encourage them to learn how to protect themselves. It doesn’t mean they don’t need you anymore, it just means they’re not dependent on you.
Q. I’m a petite woman. How can I fight I guy who is bigger and stronger then I am?
A. First, remember what you are fighting for. If you value your body or your life more then the attacker values taking it from you, that can be a tremendous advantage in your favor. Secondly, there are parts on a man that are vulnerable no matter how big and strong he is. In class you will learn where to hit, when to hit, and what to hit with. Lastly, the class is only partly about physical resistance. You will learn new ways to keep from getting to that point. The best way to defend yourself is with your mind.
Q. Why are there no observers allowed in class?
A. For two very good reasons: We want all of the students to be comfortable while they are learning. Having an audience puts unneeded pressure on them. Most importantly, though, law enforcement has found that many sexual predators study their victims by watching rape prevention tapes, books, and classes. The stuff we teach is very effective, but also very simple. We don’t want to give predators any advantage at all, and though you may know your husband is not a rapist, no one else in the class can know for sure. For these reasons, class is limited to students, instructors, and no one else.
Q. I was always taught to give in to a rapist because it’s better to be raped then dead. Is that true?
A. That is an individual choice, though I can say there are many survivors who would disagree. Rather than argue the philosophy of the question, I answer with my own question; how do you know he won’t kill you when he is done? It is in his best interest to dispose of the witness. Rapists are not know for either their charity or their restraint. As a final thought, remember what is out there. If an attacker infects you with AIDS, many people would say he has effectively murdered you.
Q. I already do martial arts. Should I come anyway?
A. Yes. Martial arts are great, but most have a different focus then rape-prevention (example: sport, fitness, fun). Much of the class deals with non-traditional techniques that will compliment what you already know.
Q. I don’t know if I can be comfortable with male instructors. Is that a problem?
A. We have both female and male instructors, and if you feel more at ease with one over the other, just let us know. No one in class will be asked to do anything they are not comfortable with. We believe it’s important to see that what we teach does actually work on big, strong men, and so we choose to have a mix. If you are absolutely dead set against working around male instructors, please don’t let that stop you from taking a course. There are other schools in the area that have only female instructors.
Q. The instructor is AWSDA certified. What the heck is AWSDA?
A. AWSDA (American Women’s Self Defense Association) is an organization that looks for better ways to teach rape prevention. They’re an amazing, non-partisan group that has no other goal than stopping rape. Please look them up on their website at: www.awsda.org
Student Reviews
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“The instructors did, indeed, make me feel comfortable. They were friendly from when I first walked in and introduced myself to the time I left. They were encouraging and knowledgeable. At the end of the class, they asked if I had any questions and they were ready to answer.”
“Chip was an amazing instructor who knew his stuff and was VERY enthusiastic, which really leaves an impression on the student. His enthusiasm/passion for the topic was the best thing about the class overall, not to mention, I really enjoyed the physical activity A LOT!”
“For me, the best part of the class was probably when we actually had to defend ourselves from an "attacker". I was able to really "let go" and see what I am capable of by fighting without worrying about hurting anyone.”
“All of the girls have been positively GUSHING about how great the program was today. They were SO excited. One girl, Jennifer, was like "I don't know how I got through life thus far without knowing all this stuff." You put on a great program. I was truly impressed. Please pass on the extremely ecstatic sentiments of Southgate dorm to Heather, who all the girls agreed rocked. To quote Rebecca: ‘It's so great because she looks all cute and not threatening at all, and then she's gonna become a cop and one day someone's gonna be giving her trouble and she's gonna be like bam!