Power to Protect
Female WPD officers teach self-defense
One woman frequently travels solo. Another wants a confidence boost. A third wants to feel safer on nightly runs.
They, along with six other women, gathered one evening in March for a free self-defense course for women that the Wilmington Police Department hosts throughout the year.
Policewomen on the force lead the classes, which are open to all women over the age of eighteen. Over the course of four classes, participants learn basic self-defense techniques and maneuvers, practice moves in pretend scenarios, and graduate by showing their instructors all they’ve learned to protect themselves against attackers.
The instructors intentionally keep class sizes small, capped at fourteen women, and demand has been high enough to warrant wait lists, organizers say. The courses take place in a mat-covered room at the Haynes/Lacewell Police and Fire Training Facility. As many as seven female instructors from the force spend three hours per class sharing their knowledge and connecting with members of their community.
One instructor, Corporal ARION WILKINS, has helped teach the courses since their inception three years ago and is a big proponent of the program. “It’s the best part of the job,” she says. She says that getting to interact with people and observe how the classes impact their lives is incredibly rewarding, especially for domestic violence survivors who say the classes have left them feeling empowered.
The program runs across two weeks, with two classes per week. The women are encouraged to review their lessons at home in between the sessions, and many at the March meeting said they had several humorous moments practicing moves with their families. At the class, they watched the instructors show them techniques in slow motion and then paired off to practice, working on taking advantage of bodily momentum and attacking opponents’ weak points.
The next classes will be May 20, 21, 27, and 28. For more information, visit this link or follow the Wilmington Police Department’s Facebook page for updates.
To view more of photographer Danielle Desnoyer’s work, go to www.danielledesnoyersphotography.com.
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