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The Cure For Sexual Assault Problem

Recently, WNIJ reported the Rockford Police Department was offering a woman's self-defense class and that the class was already at capacity.

In WNIJ’s story, Deputy Chief Mike Dalke noted awareness is half the battle in self-protection. With all due respect, I must disagree.

It appears, from information in WNIJ’s story, the class will provide training on awareness and personal safety tactics. But, like virtually all women’s self-defense classes, the focus is on assaults by strangers.

Yet sexual violence from rapists in dark alleys or jumping out of the bushes accounts for only about 15 percent of assaults. In fact, in about 85 percent of sex crimes, the perpetrator is a classmate, co-worker, boyfriend or other acquaintance.

Self-defense training that fails to target sexual assault by acquaintances is not even half the battle; it is less than 15 percent. And even if that battle is won, the war on sexual assault won’t be won until boys and men are taught that sexual assault isn’t defined because a woman didn’t say “No.” Rather, it is defined by, “She didn’t say ‘yes.’”

A study by psychologist Dr. David Lisak asked, "Have you ever had sex with someone, even though they did not want to, because they were too intoxicated to resist your sexual advances, or because you used physical force if they didn't cooperate?" About 1 in 16 men answered "yes" to these or similar questions.

Teaching self-defense to women is a Band-Aid. But teaching sexual assault prevention to men is the cure.

I’m Joe Rosner, and that’s my perspective.