Self-defense: not just for girls

“Make sure to have your car keys hidden between your fingers when walking back to your car” a tactic discussed and reviewed in the self-defense unit at Geneva High School. The difference here is this unit is a room full of girls–no boys. In fact, just a few hundred feet away you will find the freshmen boys in the same gym class but, instead of learning self-defense, they play basketball.

Every year by the time winter rolls around, Geneva has the girls in the freshmen gym class go through an in-depth unit covering self-defense, though it is not a requirement. Many schools also incorporate this unit into a gym class during the school year. For Geneva specifically, it was strongly advised by teacher Ms.Terry. Around twelve years ago she and other administration leaders thought that this (high school) age was a target area for assaults to women.

According to SARSSM (Sexual Assault Response Services), girls 16 to 19 are four times more likely than the general population to be victims of rape, attempted rape or sexual assault. “We all agreed it was important to have, especially beginning at a young age because we want to prepare you all for the real world, not just the life inside the ‘Geneva bubble,’” said Sarah Meadows, a gym teacher who covers this specific unit at Geneva High school.

Statistics do show that harassment/assault/ sexual assault or harassment overall occurs more often to women and girls than it does to boys and men. To break it down, RAINN (Rape Abuse Incest National Network) collected data saying 1 out of every 6 American women has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape in her lifetime. For men, about 3% of American men — or 1 in 33 — have experienced an attempted or completed rape in their lifetime. However, does that mean boys should not be learning self-defense? It is an issue being brought up by many when reflecting on the unit itself after taking it.

When asked if boys should also learn self-defense, Meadows replied, “Yes I think they should. But I would say later in high school, maybe senior year? The fact is the boys would not participate in the class or take it seriously if they took it the same time as the girls did.” Based on level of maturity and understanding of the importance of the topic itself, she found boys would benefit best form the class if they assessed it around senior year, being all around 18 years old.

The gym teachers think it is best girls take it freshmen year due to their higher risk and level of maturity pertaining to the subject of assault. Geneva has the girls take the class again their senior-year as another reminder of how to act in emergency before they are out of high school and in different situations predominantly college campuses.

Senior Jamie Grimston voiced her opinion when asked what kind of message this could be sending saying, “it is just ridiculous that the administration is so ignorant to deliberately single out women and highlight their weakness. The self-fulfillment they must feel for trying to help these young girls, but in reality they are making them the victim. Men can be raped too, the only message Geneva can be sending by this is that since you’re a woman you have to live a life of fear of men because you are not as superior.”

Two junior boys at Geneva say they are not taught because, “Boys know how to fend for themselves. Maybe self defense could become an option for boys when the girls take it but I doubt anyone would unless they thought they were weak”.

Due to assault being such an issue, naturally solutions began to be a topic of discussion. Aside from both girls and boys being taught self-defense at different times in the high school career, Sarah Meadows had other suggestions as well. “Boys are much more often the attacker in these cases. Since that is reality, boys should all be faced to question themselves how they would react if a girl ever told them ‘no’. That is when cases where boys get pissed and beat on a girl happen. They were never taught that it was a realistic scenario and the proper way to respond in those situations.” she stated.

Sarah Meadows acknowledged that there is always room for improvement as many teachers try to improve curriculum and spoke out by choosing her last words in the unit to be none other than, “let’s rock this out”.