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Reducing the Odds: Red Lodge High School and Domestic and Sexual Violence Services Offer Self-Defense and Violence Prevention Workshops for Local Students and Community Members
Intimate partner violence, rape and sexual assault are at epidemic levels in the U.S. Sometimes, people living in small, rural communities become complacent about violence, believing that it only happens in large, urban areas. The fact is that domestic and sexual violence occur across all socio-economic lines, all races, all ethnicities, all education levels, all religions, all lifestyles and all ages.
Teens are at a particularly high risk for such violence. The Journal of American Medical Association estimates that 1in 5 female high school students experiences physical and/or sexual abuse by a dating partner, while the U.S. Department of Justice reports that 44% of rape victims are under the age of 18 and females ages 16 to 24 are three times more likely to experience intimate partner violence than any other age group.
On Tuesday, December 4th, Red Lodge High School (RLHS) and Domestic and Sexual Violence Services of Carbon County (DSVS) are co-sponsoring a series of self-defense workshop for high school and middle school female students as well as adults called “Reducing the Odds: Rape Escape.”. The workshop will be conducted by Peter Iacavazzi, a highly accomplished professional fighter and martial arts instructor who is dedicated to saving lives. He is one of only fifty people in the world certified to teach all three levels of the Rape Escape program and is a highly articulate speaker and defense educator.
The class focuses on how to deal with the most common physical attack and rape situations. The teaching and training is personal and hands on. Students can expect to learn how to efficiently and realistically deal with a violent offender. The workshop will be offered to RLHS female students from 8:30 to 11:30 am and to Roosevelt Middle School 6th through 8th grade female students from 12:30 to 3:15 pm. Parents, please encourage students to return their permission slips as soon as possible.
While their female counterparts are learning self-defense, high school and middle school male students will participate in the well-known Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP) training. The MVP Program addresses gender violence, bullying, and school violence prevention by encouraging young men and women to take leadership roles in their schools and communities.
The MVP training is focused on an innovative "bystander" model that empowers each student to take an active role in promoting a safe and positive peer climate. It focuses on young men not as perpetrators or potential perpetrators, but as empowered bystanders who can confront abusive peers – and support abused ones. It focuses on young women not as victims or potential targets of harassment, rape and abuse, but as empowered bystanders who can support abused peers - and confront abusive ones. In this model, a "bystander" is defined as a family member, friend, classmate, teammate, coworker– anyone who is imbedded in a family, school, social, or professional relationship with someone who might in some way be abusive, or experiencing abuse.
The heart of the training consists of role-plays that allow students to construct and practice how to respond to incidents of harassment, abuse, or violence before, during, or after the fact. Students learn that there is not simply "one way" to confront violence, but that each individual can learn valuable skills to build their personal resolve and to act when faced with difficult or threatening life situations.
The full day of dating and sexual violence prevention does not end with the students. The community is invited to join RLHS, DSVS and Peter Izcavazzi for a School—Family Community Night where the “Reducing the Odds, Rape Escape” will be presented to adults and interested community members. This is a valuable opportunity for adults to learn how to protect themselves against violent offenders and to see what young people are learning. community event will be held at the Red Lodge High School Cafeteria from 6 to 8:30 pm and dinner will be provided.
For information about violence prevention education for youth through DSVS, please contact Lea Hegge at 425-2495 or lhegge@dsvsmontana.org. If someone you know is in an abusive relationship, call the free, confidential, 24-hour Helpline at 425-2222.
