Self-Defense Courses on Campus
The Center for Women Students organizes and provides two different self-defense courses on campus. These classes are not for credit and are for personal enrichment only.
Map of Nighttime Lighting on Campus
It is important to know the well-lit areas of campus and take those routes when walking around campus at night.
This campus night map (PDF) identifies the best-lit routes on campus, as well as the locations of the blue emergency call-box telephones. These call-box telephones are available for use in an emergency and they directly connect with University Police, which is staffed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
RAD (Rape Aggression Defense) Course: A Self-Defense Course for Women Students
RAD is a comprehensive self-defense system for women presented by the Penn State University Police and the Center for Women Students. It is the only self-defense course endorsed by the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators.
This course is a basic introduction to self-defense techniques and open to currently enrolled women students. Things to gain from attending the course include:
- Awareness, prevention, risk reduction and avoidance options
- Realistic, usable defense tactics
- Lectures and extensive hands-on training enable you to develop confidence and proficiency
- Free lifetime practice policy to return to any RAD class - anywhere
- Who: Certified instructors from the law enforcement community
- When: To Be Announced (participants must attend all 4 sessions)
- Where: 112 Weston Community Center at the White Course Apartment complex, West campus
- Cost: FREE! This course is funded by The Giardini Endowment for the Empowerment of Women Students. It is a gift to the Center for Women Students.
- How to Enroll: Contact us and sign up in 204 Boucke, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday
- To create an opportunity for participants to receive information that may reduce their risk of exposure to violence, and
- To create an opportunity for participants to familiarize themselves with the possibility of future physical skills training, such as RAD (Rape Aggression Defense System).
Certified RAD instructors cover awareness, prevention, risk reduction, and avoidance, as well as options available to women during a confrontation or attack. The entire course is a total of 12 hours long, taught in three or four sessions. Each session is comprised of a lecture, discussion and learning physical skills.
Upcoming RAD Program Information
Courses are scheduled based on demand, and are offered throughout the year.
For more information on an upcoming RAD program at Penn State, visit the University Police website.
SAFE (Self-defense Awareness & Familiarization Exchange) Program:
SAFE is a two-hour long, self-defense awareness and familiarization exchange program, a method of distributing crime prevention information for home study and reference, and a pre-basic familiarization with physical training methods. The program is broken down into 3 parts: talking points, a short video and an introduction to physical self-defense.
SAFE Program objectives are:
This is not a physical self-defense course, nor is it enough training to be able to defend yourself in any situation. SAFE provides familiarization with general self-defense training methods.
We welcome any women student groups to participate. Contact the Center for Women Students, 814-863-2027 or the University Police Community Education Officer at 814-863-1278.