Description of SU self-defense class for women promotes rape culture

According to the description of this class “for women” clothing can increase chances of being assaulted.

As a woman, I’ve thought about how taking a self defense class could benefit me, but always put off actually exploring options. When I first came to college I began to think about it more and more, especially during nights walking alone and constantly trying to think of what I would do if I was randomly assaulted. I thought about it more at parties when I was approached by men I knew or didn’t know. I thought about it on dates. Self defense felt like something I should know in case I became placed in one of the worst possible situations. But here is the one self defense class pertaining to the goal of stopping an assault that Syracuse University offers:

In case you can’t see why this description is a problem, let me break it down for you.

The promotion of rape culture

The very first line in the description is about identifying the “risks” of being assaulted, and mentions where the woman is, how she’s acting, and what she’s wearing. Apparently in order to not get raped this class would tell me that I need to stay in my dorm room quietly and wear a burlap sack. Because obviously if I go out with my friends and i wear a short skirt and I dance with guys that’s going to increase my risk of being assaulted. It would be my fault for putting myself in that situation, because a rapist shouldn’t be held accountable for his actions if I provoked him.

Doesn’t actually mention self defense until the last sentence

Why bother discussing which specific self defense maneuvers will be covered? Or what self defense items would be helpful to be carried? Pretty sure with a title like “Self Defense for Women” you should spend more time on describing self defense for women. This description makes it sound like it’s “outdated techniques that wont actually prevent assault”

Where is the class for men on consent?

Not even just men, because men can be assaulted to, but where is the class for everyone? Yes we all sat through a presentation on it beginning of freshmen year, but did anyone really pay attention? Subsequently I’ve gone to many talks–some required some not–to hear people speak out against assault. And not to be biased, but when the whole auditorium is 95% women, it makes me sad. We have this self defense class that literally talks about how rape-prevention is a matter of how a woman looks and presents herself when thats not true. Where is the class that tells people not to rape? The class that says consent isn’t just important is is necessary because no one is entitled to another person’s body?

As much as I love Syracuse, this class doesn’t surprise me. It comes from a university who touts about its resources for sexual assault survivors while simultaneously being under investigation for how it handled a sexual assault case. I don’t want to live in fear that if I were to get assaulted, I would be blamed or ignored by my school. I don’t want to have actual survivors of assault go through that. I don’t want to hear that what I am wearing made a man less liable for his actions. I don’t want to be told that by going out to a party, I was “asking for it.”  I don’t want to be told to defend myself without escalating violence. I don’t want to be embarrassed of Syracuse University for having a class that teaches rape culture.

Rapists cause rape, Syracuse. Get rid of this gross excuse for a self defense class and do better for your students.

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