SOUTH PORTLAND, Maine — When it comes to self-defense, experts say it's typically not a matter of if you'll need to know some skills...it's a matter of when. Regardless of the community you're in, there's always some risk present. It's why a group based in Portland is hoping to give citizens tools to use, if they ever find themselves in an unsafe situation.
The Portland Police Department hosts the RAD (or Rape Aggression Defense Training) program in partnership with the Amy St. Laurent Foundation, created about two decades ago after young woman Amy was abducted and murdered following a night out in the Old Port. RAD teaches people -- oftentimes women, specifically -- how to defend themselves in sexual assault or domestic violence situations. A key message and component is that of female empowerment.
"There are bad people no matter where we live -- or there are people that would take advantage of our complacency," said Coreena Behnke, the youth services officer for the Portland Police Department, who also teaches RAD. She has been involved with the program and the Amy St. Laurent Foundation since 2002 and says teaching women to self-defend is "the best part" of her job.
"Seeing them feel empowered and get their voice back can be really gratifying for me to know that they won't be a victim again," Behnke expressed.
This week, about a dozen people from Maine and other New England states are training at a location in South Portland to become RAD instructors. The goal is for them to bring that knowledge -- learning how to be aware of surroundings and fight back, if necessary -- to their own communities.
"I work with at-risk homeless youth. I would really like to offer that to my community," said Janice Barrett, a housing manager in Auburn, about the skills RAD teaches. It's why she's taking the instructor course after participating in the RAD program at the Auburn Police Department.
The people training to become instructors aren't all women, either.
"My two younger sisters -- they're out and about all the time; they're out with friends," said Philip Young from New Hampshire who's also taking part in the program. "I always worry about them, of course."
RAD is now a worldwide initiative -- and Behnke has helped train a number of people like Barrett and Young along the way.
"It's great to be able to network and to know that people are bringing it back to their community to help the women in their community feel safe -- and have the skills that they need to keep themselves safe," Behnke explained.
Self-defense is about knowing how to act when law enforcement can't arrive in time to help. It's a skill Chris Mitchell, a sergeant at the Portland Police Department, says is highly important, since the possibility of something going wrong is always there -- even in Portland.
"We make this program as available as possible because we understand how important it is -- and the program works," Mitchell said, noting that if you take a RAD class, you can return to another program anywhere in the country for free.
"If we can prevent something from happening, you feel like you've accomplished something -- and this program really does that," Mitchell expressed about his involvement.
Behnke says she sees the most interest in classes from young adults -- so, those who are between 16 and 24 years old and perhaps in a transitionary stage in life, like going to high school or college. She says some tips anyone can use to stay safe on a daily basis include wearing just one headphone when running, not being distracted by talking on their phone while walking around, and locking the doors to their car and home.
RAD self-defense classes will be happening this fall, starting in September. You can find out more information by clicking here.