The resounding “No!” could be heard the minute you walked in the door. As you got closer, the smack of the pads grew louder.

Central Missouri Police Academy’s Rape Aggression Defense class for women took place Sept. 11. Twelve women received self-defense training in the first of three courses.

The class began with a short PowerPoint presentation, led by Capt. Dan Othic, informing the women about personal weapons. Everyone then moved to the gym to begin learning self-defense techniques. This session focused on how to use your hands as weapons.

“I thought it was going to be more talk the first day, and we wouldn’t be out doing the moves,” said Mackenzie Anderson, a freshman criminal justice major and first-time RAD student.

Anderson said she joined the program to prepare herself for the unexpected.

“I want to be able to protect myself if I ever get put in a situation like that,” Anderson said. “I was also in a bad relationship and I thought being more prepared would help.”

Kristina Gladfelter, a composition instructor at UCM, said the exercises could be performed by anyone and did not require any physical training beforehand.

“We teach the concept of do anything, so even if you do a fist strike and it’s not the greatest fist strike, it’s better than not doing anything,” Othic said. “Our goal is to not be passive but reactive and get out of the situation.”

RAD is free and open to all UCM students, faculty and the Warrensburg community. The program is designed to be easily understood and physically achievable by all who attend regardless of ability or handicap.

“We’ve had all different levels of students in here,” Othic said.

As the students entered the gym, they spread out into a circle and one instructor demonstrated defense techniques such as the speared-finger strike, fist strike and palm strike. After making sure everyone knew what they were doing, both instructors walked around to each individual and let them practice that technique with the pads the instructors carried.

The instructors performed several wellness checks to make sure no one had any injuries. By the time the students headed back to the classroom to finish the PowerPoint, the women had learned more than five different types of striking techniques and two defensive stances.

Back in the classroom, the women learned more about personal weapons and what parts of their body are best to use against an attacker. They also highlighted what the next class was going to focus on – legs and feet.

Othic said he wished every student on campus was required to take the course.

“At the end of the day, as we say in that presentation, it’s up to you to make sure you’re making those right decisions and that you’re doing something to be making yourself able if something happens,” Othic said.

Both of his daughters and his wife are graduates of the program.

“My wife took this class 16 years ago. She still knows it,” Othic said.

By making the program free, Othic said the idea is to encourage more students to apply.

“This is a 12-hour self-defense course that we don’t charge a dime for,” Othic said. “In fact, we’re being paid. The university and our department is spending some resources on this because it is so valuable.”

RAD also offers a senior program for the elderly, a men’s basic course and a one-time class teaching students how to use their keychains as weapons.

As the 100th course is approaching with more than 1,000 students having graduated the program, Othic said his goal is now 200 classes.

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