Several local women took part in a Citizens’ Crime Watch R.A.D self-defense course recently held at the Mary Collins Community Center.
The 12-hour, free, three-day course helps women learn basic self-defense techniques taught by instructors.
R.A.D. stands for Rape Aggression Defense.
Miami Lakers Rebecca and Julianna Correa took the course in May. Rebecca Correa said they gained a lot of knowledge about how to stay safe.
Classes pit the women against teachers; everyone wears protective gear as the students fight off the offenders. The class motto is “Fight like a Girl.”
“We learned lots of hands-on skills, and even had a simulation drill the last night of class,” Rebecca Correa wrote in an email about the time spent with her daughter Julianna.
She said that by the end of the course she felt more aware and confident in her own abilities.
“As a parent of a college daughter, the time we spent together learning these techniques was so valuable,” Correa wrote.
Correa said they can retake the course at no cost to sharpen their skills, an idea she liked.
The course will be available again in Miami Lakes in 2027. To remain up to date with upcoming classes in town and elsewhere, follow Citizen’s Crime Watch on Instagram @ccwmiamidade or go to CitizensCrimeWatch.org.