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Seminars to teach self-defense skills

Emily Morrison

In light of this year's Campus Crime Alerts and other assaults in the Oxford area, Oxford Martial Arts and Fitness is providing an outlet for students to be proactive and learn about self-defense.

Oxford Martial Arts and Fitness will be hosting a Personal Empowerment Seminar, which will offer a one-hour interactive self-defense program, provide valuable safety information and teach useful protection techniques.

Sherry Grey, coordinator of the seminar, said she hopes people realize how important it is to learn how to protect themselves.

"You don't always have to fight to win," Grey said. "Sometimes, just getting away can be a victory, and this seminar can help you learn to do that."

The key, Grey said, is to learn to not show fear. When people become afraid, that is the point when they lose all power over a situation. The most important advice, Grey offered, is to have a plan at hand.

Former Marine Gabriael Lee, of MASU Self Defense in Denver, Colo., will be heading the seminar. Officer Peter Durki, of Oxford Police Department will also be discussing typical crime patterns in the Oxford community.

Also assisting at the seminar will be Jake Carman and Adriel Gray, all national TaeKwon-Do champions. The seminar will provide a very hands-on approach to self-defense, allowing participants to use imitation guns and knives to learn a few tricks to protect themselves.

Sgt. Jim Squance of the Oxford Police Department said that seminars like this one could be beneficial to students.

"(The OPD) definitely advocates learning personal protection and basic skills, and if you can get that through a class or seminar like this, then great. I'm all for it," Squance said.

The seminar is meant to cater to local organizations, such as sororities, fraternities, dorms, schools, churches, youth groups and businesses at a reduced rate of $5 per person.

Vinita Bhaskar, vice president of Miami University Panhellenic Association for chapter development, said the organization is also in favor of the seminar, and encouraged sororities and other groups to sign up.

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"Anything women can do to empower themselves, even if they don't turn into martial arts masters overnight, is beneficial," Bhaskar said.

Seminars will be available with Lee Oct. 14 and 15; seminars with others will be available at additional times.

To register, or for more information, contact Oxford Martial Arts and Fitness, located at 5162 College Corner Pike, at (513) 523-4527, or e-mail graybear6@yahoo.com.