Jodi Roberto Hancock, educational program coordinator of the MSU Women’s Resource Center, said she has gone through the session herself and found it to be powerful information.

“Even for someone who has seen it multiple times, it’s always great to (have) it fresh in your mind,” she said.

Angela Michael, assistant director of Recreational Sports and Fitness Services, said the first hour of the session was aimed toward discussing information about sexual assault and how to be aware of potential dangers.

“We try to break down myths and stereotypes regarding sexual assault, particularly on a college campus,” she said.

Participants sat in a circle as members of the Self-Defense Program discussed a number of sexual assault-related topics, such as how to stay away from dangerous situations, what constitutes as rape and how society often inaccurately blames the victims of sexual assault for the incidents.

During the last hour of the session, the women learned a few techniques to protect themselves if trouble should arise.

“(They’re) not going to be skilled martial artists, but we teach easy-to-learn moves that cause enough pain so that (they) would be able to safely run away and get help,” Michael said.

Instructors taught the women defense movements targeting assailants’ body parts from head to toe. Movements included boxing an attacker’s ears, using the heel of the hand to strike his nose and kneeing attackers in the groin.

The women were also instructed to use the most powerful part of their bodies — their voices — to yell “no” when being attacked to alert assailants their advances are unwanted and to draw attention from anyone nearby.

“We want them to walk out feeling empowered and (like) they know what to do,” Michael said.

Dietetics lifelong education students Kendall Lalko and Liz Dempsey partnered up to practice wrist-release techniques used to free oneself from an assailant’s grasp.

Lalko said she thought the self-defense session was a great learning experience, and Dempsey agreed.

“I didn’t know a lot of these movements before (I came),” Dempsey said.

Hancock said the information and defensive movements presented at the session are an extra way to stay safe on campus.

“It’s the kind of information you hope never need, but if you do, you’ll be glad you have it,” she said.