YWCA sets women’s self-defense class

Van Wert independent/YWCA information

The YWCA of Van Wert will be offering a one-night Personal Protection for Women class, from 6 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, October 12, as part of the National YWCA “Week Without Violence.”  The Van Wert Self Defense Team and 540 Martial Arts will provide instruction.

This class is designed to teach women how to avoid dangerous situations and what they should do when faced with unavoidable, unsafe circumstances. Class participants will gain confidence, knowledge, and the skills to protect themselves in this hands-on program. Topics covered include situation avoidance and prevention, self-defense, and improvised defense tools.

Class instructors include Rick Busch and Ed Klausing. Busch is a black belt in Tae Kwon Do with 28 years of experience, including 22 years experience teaching martial arts, self-defense, and rape prevention classes and seminars. Klausing is a third-degree black belt and also has experience in teaching various martial arts.

Participants should be women and girls ages 13 and older and should wear loose-fitting comfortable clothing. Pre-register by calling the YWCA at 419.238.6639.

According to the Department of Justice, one in five teenagers and young women has been a victim of some form of dating violence, while nearly 189,000 are victims of sexual assault and rape annually.

The YWCA Week Without Violence™ is a nationwide annual campaign that highlights practical, sustainable alternatives to violence in our homes, schools, workplaces and communities. A grassroots initiative when it began in 1995, today the YWCA Week Without Violence™ is a global campaign involving women, men and children in hundreds of communities in the United States and in countries around the world.

For more information contact YWCA Program Director Danni Chiles at the above telephone number.

The YWCA is a non-profit organization and a United Way agency.