We asked a self-defense teacher how to stay safe on campus

April may have been Sexual Assault Awareness month, but it is important to stay informed all the time. Ryan Kelly, self defense and martial arts teacher at University of Oregon and owner of North West Martial Arts, gave us some of his tips for staying safe on campus and showed us a few ways to defend yourself if you haven’t taken a self defense class.

What is the most important thing to remember for being safe around campus?

That’s always a hard one, because what most people are going to say, myself included, is safety in numbers, walk in well lit areas, don’t put your headphones in at night, things like that. But honestly I think the most important thing for avoiding the most common types of assaults for college students is being strong and confident. Things like speaking up for yourself and setting clear boundaries, having verbal strategies of being able to de-escalate someone if they’re angry and aggressive in order to have your demands met and have strategies for if someone keeps bugging you even after you say stop.

I think everyone is always afraid of the person who’s going to just out from behind the bushes, which does happen and is something to be aware of,  but those types of assaults are so insignificant compared to the amount of acquaintance sexual assaults: friends, acquaintances, people who you’ve met before. But having the confidence and being empowered and willing to speak up for yourself is, in my opinion, the most helpful thing when it comes to protecting yourself.

If somebody doesn’t have that confidence but they want to learn how to use their voice better and gain confidence, how would you suggest learning and becoming more confident?

That’s where empowerment based self defense comes in handy. That’s what the course is designed for. The whole idea of it is to give people those types of skills and also a back-up plan for if de-escalation and verbal defense doesn’t work then you will be able to handle yourself if someone becomes physically aggressive. But all of the confidence building and assertiveness and empowerment is covered in a non-physical self defense class (details below).But if you don’t take that class, then I would recommend listening to those people who say “fake it ’til you make it.”

One of the things that we encourage people to do is to practice standing confidently and using verbal strategies, even it’s saying it to yourself in the mirror. But studies have shown that looking confident makes a person feel more confident. So by looking and acting confident, even if you aren’t, you’ll be less likely to be targeted. It will also improve relationships with friends, co-workers, and everyone around you when you stand more confidently and you say what’s on your mind. So practicing, researching skills and strategies, and taking an empowerment based self defense class are the biggest things when it comes to learning how to be confident and empowered.

What types of classes are offered at the university, not just for women, but for self defense in general?

There is the women’s self defense course, which is a women’s only environment. That same course is also offered co-ed, which is a general self defense course. There’s also other martial arts classes: Jeet Kune Do, which was the basis for Bruce Lee’s fighting philosophy, Jujutsu, which is more about ground fighting and grappling which can be helpful for self defense, and others in the university (Prof. Kelly also has his own martial arts academy in Eugene where anyone can take classes).

Now for some basic moves:

1. Ready stance

This is going to be the most basic move. It’s how you want to stand in a confrontational situation to be ready to defend at any moment. Stand with your legs about shoulder length apart, one in front of the other. Put your hands up by your face, once again have them offset from each other a little bit, and stand confidently. This allows you to strike, kick, or pivot to follow an attacker if necessary.

2. Eye Slap

You may be thinking that punching causes the most damage so that must be the most helpful move. Kelly says that eye slaps and ear slaps (the equivalent of a jab and hook in boxing) can be just as damaging, if not more so. All you need to do is cup your hand slightly and push your arm towards the attacker’s eye, as if you were punching them.

3. Elbow Jab

Just like the eye slap, the elbow jab s one of the most effective ways to defend yourself. Since the elbow is so hard and sharp, it makes the perfect defense weapon. If your attacker gets close enough, elbow them around their jaw area, as shown in the picture.

4. Eye Gouge

It may sound gross, but this could save your life. All you need to do is grab the back of the attacker’s head with one hand and force your thumb into their eye socket. This will cause them to instinctively back away, giving you a chance to run.

5. Choke Hold

More technically known as the rear naked choke, this is a great move for disarming an attacker. As shown in the video, all you do is hook one arm around the assailant’s neck, hold onto your bicep, and place your other hand on the back of their neck. Squeeze your elbows together and they should be knocked out long enough for you to get help.

While nothing beats taking a class, I hope you find these tips helpful and that you never need to use them.

Special thank you to Ryan Kelly for answering questions and showing some moves and to Kate for being the assistant.

To find self defense classes at UO, just look under PE-Matial Arts when you go to register on duck web. If you aren’t a student but still want self defense or martial arts training, you can check out Ryan Kelly’s academy here.