Friday, August 20, 2010, was a great evening at GMA member school Gracie Barra Dana Point. They held a special Rape-Safe Class for the women of Gracie Barra and a dinner afterwards at a local Mexican restaurant.
Laughter could be heard around the mats as Professor Flavio Almeida commented on how many times he’d been kicked, elbowed and punched by his wife, Coach Vivi, as he demonstrated what a rapist would do during an attack, to show the women how to protect themselves if they were ever in that predicament.
It was all seriousness, though, as the techniques were taught. Rape is no laughing matter and the women paid close attention to Flavio and Vivi as they described each one in detail, based on the type of attack that could occur.
Rape Safe classes are becoming more popular at Jiu-Jitsu schools and it’s no wonder. According to RAINN (Rape, Abuse, Incest National Network), statistics show that 1 out of 6 women will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime, with college-aged women four times more likely to be victims of a sexual assault. Unfortunately, statistics also show that 60% of sexual assaults are not reported to the police, indicating that the numbers may be far higher than stated.
A woman can never be too safe, so the techniques taught in the Rape Safe class could literally save her life or at the very least, get her away from someone who is trying to harm her. The girls who attended the GBDP class said it was very educational and fun and that they learned a lot.
After class, a girls’ group dinner was held at a nearby Mexican restaurant. The girls’ table was full of laughter and smiles as everyone talked, relaxed, ate great food, and enjoyed good conversation.
Gracie Barra Dana Point will be hosting these classes once a month. For more information, contact info@gbdanapoint.com.
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