Durham police and campus recreation team up for women’s self defense class

By John Reed, Media Relations

Starting this month, the Durham Police Department and UNH Campus Recreation will offer a women’s self defense class taught by officer Frank Weeks, a five-year veteran of the Durham Police Department.

Weeks, a prosecutor for the Durham Police, has received training from the Sexual Harassment and Rape Prevention Program (SHARPP) at UNH, and holds a black belt in Hapkeido Karate.

“Officer Weeks has a great deal of knowledge, and this class is giving him an opportunity to share it,” said Linda Hayden, assistant director of campus recreation.

The class is intended to teach women to remove themselves from harm’s way, rather than how to fight. “The course is not a means for how to fight, it is how to nullify an attack and create the time and distance to escape. There are no right or wrong techniques. The course is designed to give people one or two techniques to be comfortable with so they can get out of danger,” Hayden said.

Campus recreation officials are excited about the class being a chance for cooperation between the town of Durham and the university to improve the safety of the overall community.

“The class is an opportunity to share the resources of the town and UNH. Everyone should be safe,” Hayden said.

Class times and dates have been expanded from previous years.

“We wanted to come up with more set dates so that people could sign up in advance,” Hayden said.
Class sign up is in Hamel Recreation Center. The sign up fee is $10 for students and Rec Center members, and $15 for the public.

The class will be taught in Hamel Recreation Center, and will be offered on Friday, Feb. 6 and 13, from 6:30 to 10 p.m., and Thursday, Feb. 19 and 26, from 6:30 to 10 p.m. Classes are open to the public, and more may be added, as necessary.