Contact Mallory Peebles
Editor's Note: Correction to Thursday night for workshop in 2nd sentence, instead of Tuesday night.
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Standing Together Against Rape, also known as S.T.A.R., has joined with a local self defense instructor for a free two day workshop.
On Thursday evening, S.T.A.R. gave advice on identifying and dealing with unhealthy relationships and how to avoid becoming a victim of sexual abuse Service High School.
A teacher from Service High School asked S.T.A.R. to teach about the topics.
"Teens are most at risk to be in an unhealthy and abusive relationship and we know that 90 plus percent of perpetrators are somebody that the victim knows and trusts,” said S.T.A.R. Community Education Manager Jenna Unger.
S.T.A.R. joined with Malachi Bond, a self defense instructor for Senshido Alaska, to teach young adults how to stay safe if a situation turns violent. Saturday Bond, along with other instructors from Frontier Vale Tudo will teach the self defense moves in the Service High School gymnasium.
“We want to empower people to walk away from violence as much as possible," said Bond, "not escalate it and not start it. Diffuse it as much as we can but if it does come down to that at least give them the physical tools to at least hopefully protect themselves.”
At Frontier Vale Tudo, instructors teach many different kinds of fighting. The first Sunday of every month they offer a women's self defense class from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
While the first part of the two day workshop had less than expected for attendance, S.T.A.R. expects more teens to attend the self defense course, Saturday.
“So what we basically have to do is help educate them that they can do it, and simply give them the psychological, emotional and physical tools and they're really simple and easy but they can do it," said Bond.
People of all ages are welcome to attend the self defense course Saturday. Anyone 18 and under needs a parental consent form. To contact S.T.A.R. for more information about the workshop call 907-276-7279.