Many students are not aware of all the programs on campus that are meant to ensure their safety. The Department of Public Safety is on-call twenty-four hours a day, everyday of the year. The L.I.M.O. services operate year round, and even after three a.m. students can call Public Safety officers for a ride home.
The self-defense classes, in particular, give students much needed knowledge in the area of self-preservation. The classes, which are free-of-charge for Marquette students, provide students with additional resources and techniques for tackling dangerous situations.
Led by DPS officers Sue Cooper and Amy Oltendorf, these classes focus on the basic message of awareness. “Be confident of yourself,” was the officers’ primary piece of advice.”
“Remember to breathe,” was Oltendorf’s opening mantra. Breath support enables the victim to retain oxygen in the brain, which reduces panic. Given the amount of fear that an attack invokes, keeping a semi-cool head increases the chance of a safe get-away.
The most effective way to approach a dangerous situation is to stand with one foot behind the other and evenly distributing weight so as to maintain balance. Known as the power stance, this posture was the basic foundation for many of the maneuvers introduced.
Throughout the class, Oltendorf and Cooper demonstrate a plethora of maneuvers for different target areas on the body. For example, in close proximity to an attacker, the palm and elbows can be effective tools in escaping an attacker.
Major pressure points on the body include: the nose, throat, sides of the neck, abdomen and rib cage, groin, knees, shins, and top of the foot near the ankle.
In the event of an attack, it is wise to manipulate these areas in order to cause the assailant pain. This will leave the attacker preoccupied long enough for a quick escape.
Techniques for a target area, such as the face and neck, are useful when the attacker is within arm’s length. A simple upward thrust with the heel of the hand into the base of the nose administers lots of pain to the assailant.
During an attack, a perpetrator may get the victim into a bear-hug hold. In this event, Cooper and Oltendorf suggest dropping to the floor while lifting the arms above the head so as to keep the attacker from following to the ground.
When the assailant has its victim by the wrist or arm, pulling in the direction with the least amount of coverage is most effective. This action breaks the hold on the thumb and index finger, which allows the quarry to escape.
Sometimes victims fall to the ground or are pushed, in which case the officers showed two techniques to ward off injury. In the first, the victim lays on one hip and is propped up on one elbow. This allows the victim to kick at the attacker and pivot effectively.
The second tactic is used when the attacker has the victim pinned on the ground. The victim merely locks one of the assailant’s feet with their own foot, lifts their hips off the ground while sliding their arms above their head, and twisting towards the locked foot. This destabilizes the villain and ultimately throws them off the victim.
If one or more of the techniques does not seem to be working, Cooper and Oltendorf advise students to try different maneuvers until they are able to get away or find assistance.
Students who have taken the class praise the amount of information and the ease of understanding the self-defense tactics.
“The class made me feel confident that I could get out of a dangerous situation,” said freshman Cara McCallum.
Pertaining to the in-class, hands-on activities, which included punching bags, freshman Katie Buchholz said: “I like[d] the bags and being able to practice. I can use [the roll maneuver] on my brother.”
The more practical material, such as not exhibiting fear in the face of a potential assailant, is advice every person living in a metropolitan area can use. These classes are just one way students at Marquette can optimize their safety and awareness on campus.
Classes are available on a call-and-schedule basis; group sessions are welcome. You can reach the DPS Office of Crime Prevention to schedule a class by calling: (414) 288-5854.
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