“Believe You Can Survive:” WRAC and UMDPD Educate Students on Precautions and Self-Defense
Students learn about different situations and how to react, Photo Courtesy of Paying Thao
Patrol Officer Kalika Pukema suited up in case she is called in and to assist Sergeant Shovein, Photo Courtesy of Paying Thao
Each semester, the University of Minnesota Duluth’s Police Department (UMDPD) is brought in to present a self-defense workshop and help bring awareness to incidences and prevent future situations. On Oct. 15, Patrol Officer Kalika Pukema joins Sergeant Chris Shovein to help direct and assist students in possible situations through personal experiences.
UMD’s Women’s Resource and Action Center (WRAC) representatives, Azrin Awal and Jade Moorse, comments on how these sessions have and remains to assist them mentally. Both have become “more confident to act in a situation” and believe “more practice will help override the freeze response.”
Shovein warns students to take precautions and be aware of their surroundings. “Watch people around you. Make eye contact and know your exits so you won’t be easily victimized. Ask yourself, ‘What are different options to take in my regular patterned path?’” Shovein said. He advises students to change up their routine every now and then in case someone has memorized their routine.
He lists examples of strangers who have hidden on campus in unusual areas that are hidden and rarely accessed by a big group. Moorse adds in that not all offenders are strangers; almost 60% of the time, the offender is someone the victim knows.
He provides everyone with a tip to practice using their self-defense weapons, such as a pepper spray or a baton, beforehand in case they find themselves in a bad situation. This allows one to stay calm and not higher the risk of ruining their motor skills. Not only is self-defense a physical game, but also a mental one.
Sergeant Chris Shovein instructing students by slowly demonstrating how to perform self-defense moves, Photo Courtesy of Paying Thao
“Believe you can survive. As soon as you stop believing, you lower your chances of surviving,” Shovein said.
Shovein assures students that it’s okay to hit someone during the act of self-defense and the next step is to know where to hit. He demonstrates multiple scenarios and possible moves to perform to escape. Shovein reminds students to remain calm and to “keep breathing.”
“Run or fight, don’t freeze. Keep yelling to help yourself breathe,” Shovein said.
However, a student raises the question of how the instructors would respond to victim blaming and a perpetrator using self-defense as a false testimony.
Patrol Officer Kalika Pukema knows this all too well and shares her experience of working in the situation.
“There’s been times where you can’t determine right away but usually you can tell. [The suspect] is not afraid but victim is. Size and injuries and stories wont add up so we ask a couple of times in a couple ways. Soon the details and stories will get fuzzy. A true victim will shake and quaver. The nonverbals will be the answer,” said Pukema.
As the session wraps up, students remain longer than scheduled to have more questions answered and more positions demonstrated.
Sarina Men has attended these sessions three previous times but expresses that this one differs from the ones prior.
Pukema helps students one-on-one with self-defense moves and situations, Photo Courtesy of Paying Thao
“This session was more hands grabbing and chokes rather than than using pads, which Chris does in a different self defense session. The past sessions have benefitted me by helping refresh what I learned in Taekwondo as well as doing it without the formality of it and applying to real life,” said Men.
With the UMDPD requesting for grants, the next few sessions could possibly have new equipment such as a full suit and pads for full contact which creates a more realistic experience.
WRAC will once again team up with the UMDPD in the near future for more sessions, so be sure to attend the next to be mentally and physically ready for any situation.