“Do you feel safe?
If you are a female college student you may feel safe due to campus security and blue glowing phones on every corner linking you directly to campus headquarters. Yet, disturbing trends may shatter illusions of safety. Forceable sex crimes and assualt on college campuses have more than trippled between 2001 and 2015. What’s to be done? A verbal & physical self-defense event was hosted on Biola’s campus (date???) co-sponsored by the Graceful Warrior Project, Biola’s campus police, and Biola’s Center for Marriage and Relationships. The first part of the evening Tim Muehlhoff (Biola communication professor) taught women how to verbally de-escalate a potentially violent situation. The room filled with noise as one participant shouted at another trying to get her to retaliate. Applying Muehlhoff’s strategy, escalation was avoided by staying calm and seeking to break a negative communication spiral. Biola’s chief of campus security taught women how to use mace to evade an attacker. Participants armed with practice mace–pressurized water in a mace container–sought to hit a would-be attacker in the face. Over time, the participants grew more accurate and confident. The evening concluded with Kelly from Graceful Warrior Project casting a vision for students of the worldwide needs of women and how they could get involved. If sexual assault has trippled on USA campueses, imagine the rate in impoverished countries with no campus security? The Bible states that true religion in the sight of God is caring for those who have no advocate or resources to keep them safe (Jm. 1:27). This evening women left with not only resources, but most importantly, knowing that people care about them and their safety.”
Professor Tim Muehlhoff, Biola University
