Newsletter for March 2004

Inside this issue:

Rape Escape Instructor Certification Courses in NY and AZ

Rape Escape Videos Go to DVD
Air Force Uncovers 92 Rapes in Pacific, Low Conviction Rate
Amnesty International Report Paints Bleak Picture for Women
Gaining Real Fighting Experience
What is Smith & Wesson Thinking?

“Real fighting is not pretty and the people who are capable of doing it well don’t always present their skills in a slick way.  The first thing a fighter needs is not skill in fighting, fancy techniques or even a strong body; it is a willingness to fight.”

Steven Drape

Rape Escape Instructor Certification Courses in NY and AZ

The upcoming Rape Escape instructor certification classes are:

March 27-28 in Westchester, New York (get the details on the New York course);

April 24-25 in Phoenix, Arizona (get the details on the Phoenix course);

October (date TBD) in Dublin, Ireland.

The sessions will cover all 3 levels of the popular Rape Escape program with important information on exactly how to teach the course and how to avoid damaging pitfalls with this highly sensitive subject matter. The cost of the 2-day course is $495 and includes all course materials, presentation materials (including a presentation video on DVD) and marketing and publicity support.

The growing network of certified instructors is spreading the word and educating women in support of our mission: Prevent and combat sexual assault and violence against women.  

If we can save one female, we will have had a measure of success.

You can register online at www.rapeescape.com

Rape Escape Videos Go to DVD

The popular Rape Escape video series has been remastered to DVD. 

Here's a recent comment that just came in:

The 3-disk set is now on the popular DVD-R format which is compatible with virtually all of the newer DVD players out in North America.  Our European friends can usually play them on the newer multiuse DVD players despite the difference in the PAL and NTSC system.

Air Force Uncovers 92 Rapes in Pacific, Low Conviction Rate

A new study by the Air Force shows that there were 92 accusations of rapes from 2001 to 2003, a figure that the New York Times says surprised many top Air Force officials, pointing out the flaws in the Air Force's reporting system and assistance to victims.

How those numbers turn out for convictions is no less disturbing.  In the 92 cases cited, 106 service members were accused.  Of those accused only 7 have been convicted in court martial proceedings.  They have been sentenced to an average of 8 years in prison.  40 of the accused have been convicted of lesser offenses and received punishments like demotions, lost pay and letters of reprimand.  No action has been taken against 29 of the accused.

The report adds to the military's woes in this area on the heels of reports of 112 reports of sexual misconduct in Iraq, Kuwait and Afghanistan and 24 women who have come forward at Sheppard Air Force Base in Texas reporting that they were assaulted in 2002.

Amnesty International Report Paints Bleak Picture for Women

A report issued by Amnesty International on Mar. 5 claims that in the United States, a woman was beaten by her husband or partner on average every 15 seconds and one was raped every 90 seconds, while in France 25,000 women were raped each year.

In Russia, 36,000 women are beaten every day by their husband or partner.

In Spain, one woman is killed every five days by her male partner.

In the United Kingdom, two women per week are killed by their partners.

In South Africa, 147 women are raped every day.

The organization says prevention of violence against women requires the world community to:

• Speak out on the continuing violence against women;

• Condemn the violence as a major scandal;

• Confront authorities if they fail to prevent violence or punish those who violate women;

• Challenge attitudes which diminish women's humanity;

• Promote women's access to resources;

• Support women to organize themselves to stop the violence.

On a local, personal level, you can make a difference.  Get involved with groups or shelters.  Teach, train, support.  The network of certified Rape Escape instructors have all chosen to contribute to their communities by tackling this huge societal issue with self-defense and rape prevention classes.  If you are interested in becoming an instructor, contact me or check out the upcoming instructor certification courses.

Gaining Real Fighting Experience

"So how long does the martial artist hone his skills without going into battle? How do we get that invaluable attribute known as 'experience'? By finding the instructors with the most realistic training methods.

"By realistic, I mean those drills that closely simulate the all-out combat condition without the grave risk that we find in the back alleys and deserted parking lots of our cities. Risk is important, but you needn't face the prospect of losing life or limb as our warrior predecessors did. Of course, the intensity of the training should follow a progression to be sure that you can defend yourself reasonably well at the level of drilling in which you engage. You should also be supervised by an experienced instructor who knows when the training is getting out of control.

"There is that word again-experience. Experience is the difference between knowing a technique and understanding a technique. Experience promotes true, deep-down confidence. A confident person doesn't just believe that a technique will work, he knows that the technique works at full speed and full power because he has already done it. There is a big difference between believing and knowing. Some of my greatest experiences in martial arts training revolved around testing my skills under the most stringent conditions. "

Burton Richardson

What is Smith & Wesson Thinking?

The embarrassing disclosure by James Minder, 74, chairman of the board of directors for Smith & Wesson that he was an armed robber in the 50s and 60s has the anti-gun, anti-self-defense special interest groups licking their chops.

As a result of the 15 years in the Michigan prison system for a string of armed robberies he committed with a sawed-off shotgun, Minder cannot own or even handle a firearm.  Yet, he was able to rise to the helm of Smith & Wesson, the nation's second largest manufacturer of handguns in the U.S.

After the devastating discovery -- he said he didn't disclose his past because "nobody asked" -- he resigned as chairman.  But, the board of directors, in its wisdom,  allowed him to stay on Smith & Wesson's board!

Mike Barnes of the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence said, "Only in the N.R.A.'s America can a company chaired by a onetime violent hoodlum be on the verge of being given a license to behave negligently."

I just have to ask company officials, what are you thinking?  What could Minder possibly add to the direction of the company that can outweigh the damage he has done.  

Go here if you want to access the newsletter archives.

Train like your life depends on it.  Someday it might.
 

Brad Parker