Imagine yourself leaving a shopping center at night. The parking lot is mostly empty. As you head to your vehicle, you are approached by a stranger. Would you know what to do in a situation like this?
Thanks to a self-defense course taught by Dublin Police, hundreds of women have become well-equipped to handle such a scenario.
“I definitely feel better able to protect myself,” says Jill Staufenberg, a Dublin resident who took the course this past October. “It’s a good confidence builder. You learn more than just physical skills. You learn to use your voice and feel comfortable using your voice. It is a very empowering class.”
An Award-Winning Program
The women’s self-defense course has been offered for approximately 15 years. It began shortly after Detective Jason Murphy was approached by a group of students at Dublin Coffman High School when he was the school resource officer there. The girls had asked him for some basic tips on how to defend themselves as they prepared for college.
What began as a one-day course has gradually evolved into a five-day course for the high schools and a modified three-hour course open to the public for ages 16 and up.
“I think it is important for everyone to be able to defend themselves,” says Officer Bryan McClain, who has been involved in the program for eight years and has been the lead instructor for the past three years.
“I think a lot of people believe that nothing bad will ever happen to them, and if it does, they will be close to someone that can help them,” says McClain. “In reality, criminals wait for the right opportunity where they believe they have the upper hand. They attack people that they believe are easy targets.”
McClain and his team of instructors teach their students how to avoid being easy targets though a combination of classroom-style presentations and hands-on exercises.
“I think the reason our class stands out compared to others is the instructors,” McClain says. “All of the instructors are resource officers in the schools and build long-lasting relationships in the community. As a group, we know many of the participants before they walk in the door, and I think that allows us to relate to them better.”
The three-hour public class, which is a partnership between Dublin Police and the Dublin Community Recreation Center (DCRC), won a first place 2017 Ohio Parks and Recreation Association award in the law enforcement category.
“I would say that our police-partnered classes are some of our more popular classes,” says Carla Doty, adult recreation program supervisor at the DCRC. “These public trainings allow our citizens to be proactive, knowledgeable and up-to-date in real-life situations. I think the biggest takeaway of this class is participant empowerment.”
Mother-Daughter Bonding
Jill Staufenberg took the course with her daughter, Claire.
The two have long enjoyed the opportunity to bond with each other by taking classes together.
“She and I have been taking classes together since we moved to Dublin 26 years ago. Our first one was a ‘Mommy and Me’ class when Claire was 2,” says Jill. “Since then, we have taken all sorts of classes – Pilates, yoga, watercolor – so it was almost a natural for us to take this self-defense class together.”
The Staufenberg women were not the only mother-daughter duo looking to learn how to better defend themselves.
Lori Belock and her daughter, Marissa, teamed up to take the course this past October.
“Every mother and daughter should take this class together,” said Marissa, a senior at Dublin Scioto High School. “It’s an event we will always remember.”
Lori echoes her daughter’s feelings.
“It’s a wonderful way to bond and also go over inherent dangers that we sometimes become relaxed about,” Lori says. “It’s a great refresher on safety in general. The various scenarios given made you think about many different possibilities.”
Jill encourages all female Dublin residents to take the class.
“Dublin is a very safe place, but we can’t be fooled into thinking crime can’t happen here,” she says.
Always Improving
McClain says the class has had so much success over the years because the instructors are not afraid to make changes to it.
“We have been modifying the techniques over the years using suggestions from the participants, and we are not tied to a rigid program,” he says. “There have been techniques and tips added based on our discussions with the people involved. Additionally, we allow the participants to participate at their level of comfort, which is very important to many of the students.”
Police are also offering classes to any organization or company based in Dublin at its request.
“This past year, we did courses for a running club, local businesses, churches and Dublin City Schools employees,” McClain says. “We are very fortunate to have the support of Dublin City Schools, the community and the Chief of Police.”
Class graduates such as Lori feel just as fortunate to have a class like this offered to them.
“We are so lucky to have such an amazing police department with officers who truly care,” she says. “The class made me feel even safer in the safest city.”
More Info:
If you would like more information about the women’s self-defense class or any other class offered through the Dublin Community Recreation Center, be sure to check out the Healthy – Recreation Services Programs & Activities guide in print or online at www.DublinOhioUSA.gov/recreation-services/healthy.
Josh Poland is a public information officer with the City of Dublin. Feedback welcome at gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com.
