Empowerment Self Defense as an Inclusive Tool for Preventing Campus Sexual Violence

  Thursday, July 29 at 10:45 AM

Self defense has a complicated history as a tool for sexual violence prevention. Classes designed to keep participants “safe” often do so by reinforcing a masculine-dominated power structure and result in re-traumatization and a sense of victim-blaming. However, Empowerment Self Defense (ESD) grew out of the Feminist Movement as a tool for breaking down systemic structures that define some people as strong and capable of defending, while others need to be defended. The ESD model is grounded in academic research and focuses on increasing confidence and assertiveness in one’s voice and body, understanding the characteristics of healthy and unhealthy behaviors and relationships, and learning to define and set boundaries. Recent research has shown that college-age women who complete an ESD course are almost 50% less likely to experience sexual assault within a year following the course than peers who did not take the course. In this interactive session, we will provide an overview of campus sexual assault and a brief history of self defense as a tool for addressing sexual assault. We’ll then discuss the primary characteristics that define ESD, instructors who teach ESD, and the research behind it as a successful intervention. We’ll take participants through brief exercises.. We’ll end by discussing students’ experience with ESD at Pitt and ways to collaborate using ESD in academic and co-curricular contexts.

 

Presenters

Carrie Benson Carrie Benson (she/her) currently serves as the Prevention and Education Coordinator of the Sexual Violence Prevention and Education Office. She is responsible for ensuring that faculty, staff and students are engaged in on-going conversations around identifying, preventing, and responding to sexual misconduct. She oversees the peer education program, Sexual Assault Facilitation and Education (SAFE).SAFE student educators engage their peers in dialogue around topics such as healthy relationships, consent, and bystander intervention. In this role, Carrie also focuses on educating community members on how to best support survivors of sexual trauma. She joined Pitt as a Title IX Specialist in May of 2015.Previously, she was the Assistant Director of Campus Life at Carlow University. Carrie has worked in higher education for the last twelve years. She has experience working in diversity and inclusion, student affairs and service-learning. She earned her master’s degree in education from Pitt in 2012.

Michele Montag Michele L. Montag, Ph.D. has been studying the martial arts and self-defense for greater than 10 years. She is a 4th degree Black Belt in Shaolin Kung Fu and a certified SHARP (Sexual Harassment and Rape Prevention) and Escape and Evasion (E&E) instructor. Michele has completed certification as a Sexual Assault Counselor (SAC) in the Commonwealth of PA as well as training in Sexual Orientation Gender Identity and Expression (SOGIE). Dr. Montag holds a Ph.D. in Anthropology from SUNY Binghamton, and provides a unique perspective with regard to understanding the cultural context surrounding the need for self-defense in populations with significant risk factors.

Lisa Nakamura Lisa Nakamura has been studying and teaching the martial arts and self defense for 40 years. She is a 7th degree Black Belt, Senior Master, in Shaolin Kung Fu and a certified SHARP (Sexual Harassment and Rape Prevention) and Escape and Evasion (E&E) instructor. Lisa has completed certification as a Sexual Assault Counselor (SAC) in the Commonwealth of PA as well as training in Sexual Orientation Gender Identity and Expression (SOGIE). She served on the Self-Defense Committee for the National Women's Martial Arts Federation (NWMAF). In 2015, she received a Jefferson Award for her volunteer work teaching self-defense and empowerment to women in recovery at POWER, among other groups.

If you require an accommodation to participate in this event, please contact the Office for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion at diversity@pitt.edu by July 21