A campus women's group is helping women develop awareness and fight back against rising incidents of violent crime.

"Every day you read about another woman being assaulted," said Priscilla O'Brien, director of the Associated Students Women's Resource Center.

The resource center is offering free self-defense workshops at the Student Recreation Center for faculty, staff and students of the University of Arizona.

The three-hour workshops are taught by UA alumnae Susan Halbert, 34, and Stephanie Chambers, 24, both black belts in Wado Kai karate.

Halbert said the workshop gives an introduction to the basic concepts of self-defense while emphasizing prevention and awareness.

"We want these girls to have a plan in mind and not be afraid to protect themselves," she said.

Last year, four sexual assaults against women were reported on campus, according to University of Arizona Police Department statistics.

UAPD Acting Lt. Brian Seastone said he thinks the majority of assaults that occur on campus are date rapes that go unreported.

Halbert said acquaintance-related attacks are probably the greatest danger for women on campus.

"When girls go out on dates or to frat parties they need to be careful," she said. "It is almost like walking into a war zone these days."

Halbert said a lot of women avoid self-defense classes because they assume men will be teaching them. She said many women do not feel comfortable with a male instructor and may not believe they can perform the same physical techniques as men.

"To see women teaching and performing these techniques makes them feel more empowered," she said.

Jennifer Scott, 24, an astronomy graduate student who organized the workshops, said she would like to see more women take an interest in self- defense.

"It got me thinking about how to react in certain situations. There are things you can do to avoid becoming a victim,"she said.

Chambers said the techniques taught in the workshop are a combination of karate and jujitsu.

She said they teach women how to escape from holds and strike vulnerable targets on the human body. All of the moves are easy to perform and do not require a lot of strength, Chambers explained.

Aside from teaching techniques, Chambers said she likes to talk to students about the importance of avoiding physical confrontations whenever possible.

"We try to emphasize that getting into a fight is a very bad thing because you are not going to come out unscathed," she said.

To prevent a possible attack, Chambers said women always need to be aware of their surroundings and avoid "looking like a victim." She said that most attackers look for easy targets, such as women who appear scared or vulnerable.

"If you pay attention and walk with confidence you are less likely to become a victim," she explained.

The workshops, which began Sept. 29, will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. Oct. 20, Nov. 3, and Nov. 10.

More information can be obtained by calling 320-0490 or sending electronic mail to wrc@ccit.arizona.edu

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