UIC Police offer women’s self-defense courses

Enrollment is open for a women’s self-defense course taught by female officers from the UIC Police Department.

The free, four-hour course will be offered on select dates from Nov. 5 through Sept. 2018. Priority consideration will be given to students, faculty and staff, but women from the Chicago area are encouraged to sign up. A maximum of 20 seats are open for each course.

“Women have been asking for self-defense courses,” Officer Tawanna Clark said, explaining why the course was created.

Younger women on and off college campuses across the country are at-risk of sexual assault and violence, noted UIC Police Chief Kevin Booker.

“This is a proactive measure, an additional tool for our female population to help them gain confidence and think about their individual safety,” he said.

Clark, a certified self-defense instructor, will lead the course, which will be split into two parts: classroom learning and hands-on practice. In the first half, Clark will cover important facts about sexual assault and violence and teach women how to identify potential attackers. Topics include dating and de-escalation techniques, domestic violence, harassment, stalking and reporting incidents to law enforcement.

The second portion of the training will teach participants how to get out of threatening situations, such as how a victim should react if an attacker pulls her hair or how to work around the strength disparities that can exist between men and women.

Clark hopes participants know that, as a woman, she’s also in their shoes.

“Hopefully they’ll think, ‘This woman really knows where we’re coming from. She can help out and understand what I can do to prevent crime against myself,’” she said.

To sign up, email uicpdawsda@uic.edu. Participants will receive the course location; all classes begin at 1 p.m. Special classes can be set up outside of the advertised schedule. The requester must have 20 people confirmed to set up a special class.

Course dates:
Nov. 5, 19
Dec. 3, 17
Jan. 7, 21
Feb. 4, 18
March 4, 18
April 8, 22
May 6, 20
June 3, 17
July 1, 22
Aug. 5, 19
Sept. 2, 16