Article from the Boston.com
By John Laidler, Globe Correspondent
Original Article can be found here http://bo.st/xJoTZZ
The city is offering women a chance to learn self defense skills. The Police Department and the Recreation Department are partnering to offer a Rape Aggression Defense System class. The program will be held on March 5, 7, 12, and 14 from 6:30-9:30 p.m. at the Thomas Carroll School, 60 Northend St.
The Rape Aggression Defense System (R.A.D) is a comprehensive women-only course that that begins with awareness, prevention, risk reduction, and risk avoidance, and then progresses to cover the basics of hands-on defense training. The Police Department has offered the course periodically in the past, but now the Recreation and Police departments are partnering in the program in an effort to raise awareness about self defense in the community, according to Jennifer Davis, director of Recreation, Parks, and Forestry. She said the plan is to offer the course at least twice a year and to include special classes for teens, and for mothers and daughters.
Classes are taught by Peabody police officers who are nationally certified R.A.D instructors. Participants must be 15 or older, and those under 17 must be accompanied by an adult. Each class is limited to 15 participants. The cost is $25. To register, go to the Recreation, Park, and Forestry page on the city’s web site and click “Register on line. For more information, e-mail Peabody Police Sgt. Sheila McDaid at [email protected].
