I am constructing a womens self-defense program to teach to University Sorrorities in my state and I was wondering if there is anyone out there who knows where I can look for data/stats on rape and violence vs. women in Kansas or the USA?
If you have info, please e-mail me.
THanks so much!!
Your Brother
John

I've been reading here for a bit about people and the female self defense courses they offer and such but I have yet to hear anyone mention academic readings involved.

Any woman's program on self defense should include along with the madatory mat time the REQUIRED reading of the book, "The Gift Of Fear" by Gavin De Becker.

Since I believe you are coming from a Kenpo background why not take the educational approach that Kenpo uses and make this a part of the course? You can pick the book up for 8 to 10 dollars as well. If they balk at having to go get the book perhaps you can work the 8 to 10 dollars into the price of the program course and they can have the book to take home with them.

Personally, I think any woman in the martial arts should read this book. But in fact EVERY woman AND man should check it out.

I had heard of this book before but have yet to read it myself.
I will get myself one!
Thus far my program is free to all participants. The school or sorority itself gives me a modest fee (I require very little to compensate for my time, and enough to pay for the drive there and boarding...which sometimes they set me up at a Frat house.... hey!!! Free beer). This is a program that I have a very strong conviction about.

My best friend in college (Jennifer) was attacked in a well lit parking lot yards from the back of the dorm that she lived in. By her own animal grit that rose to the surface and the Grace of God alone she was able to get out of his truck and run away after having been pistol whipped over the head twice. She ran to the dorm and there just happened to be a guy at coming out of the back of the dorm...opened the door and let her in. I took Jenni to the emergency room for the several stitches. I sat up with her for several night on end that week and in weeks/months to follow. Two months after her attack she saw her attackers face again. This time it was on the evening news. He was being accused of (and later convicted of) attacking, raping, killling and dismembering another college girl... who was one year older than Jenn, same physical description as Jenn, and had raped/killed a girl from the same home town as Jenn. I became Jenn's first karate instructor... thank God I'm not her last.

Jenni and I began a program on campus that is now a standard feature of their security. A group of young men apply to be the "Campus Walkers" (names been changed now). These young men (lots of them wanted to do it) worked in shifts. All a young lady would need to do was to call one number and contact a person, tell them that she needed to walk across campus at night... she would be met by two young men in either a special t-shirt or jacket and walked to and from wherever she needed to go.

I promised Jenn that I'd keep this going and spread it as wide as I could.
Still working to make a better, more efficient program.
Thanks for the tip Gou. I'd bet that many would buy the book. I'd probably require that when I work with Sororities that at least each 'House' buy a copy of the book... if not more.

take it easy..
Your Brother
John

How about posting a review in the Library forum?

which one?
Still rather new to Martial Talk yet...
guess I should go check that section out!
your Brother
John