Three years ago, 24-year-old Shelby Chamberland was working late at her job in Vermont.  The night seemed routine, as she'd done this countless times before.  The only other person in the office was a male colleague with whom she had worked for quite a while.  Nothing seemed out of the ordinary--until he attacked her. 
 
"I remember my mind simply froze," recalls Chamberland.  "I didn't know what to do.  I think I was in denial that it was happening because I knew him and he was married and I was in my workplace.  Since I was athletic and fit, I had always just assumed I could defend myself.  But no one had ever taught me exactly what to do."   
 
Things certainly have changed for Chamberland who now lives in Austin and teaches self-defense classes to women and teen girls at the Austin Martial Arts Academy.  She specializes in a program called Realistic Assault Defense (RAD) that addresses the physical, mental and emotional aspects of personal safety.  By demonstrating ways to get beyond shock and panic, RAD prepares females for an authentic, life-threatening situation. 
 
"It's the best thing I ever did for myself," declares Amanda Jones, an apartment locator who completed the RAD program last year.  "You may think you'll never need it but someday you might.  And it's always better to be safe than sorry."
 
So on a recent Monday night I'm standing in a martial arts studio in Westlake getting a private self-defense class with six instructors, including Tristan Truscott, the founder of RAD.  I don't really want to be thinking about the assault, rape and robbery scenarios they are describing but I know I need to listen and, more importantly, remember in the event I ever need to use them. 
 
My mind drifts to New York City, where I lived before moving back to Austin last year.  I tell the instructors that I actually felt safer there than I do here.  With almost 20 million inhabitants it's hard to be alone.  That's because lights and people are what Manhattan is all about, explains Truscott, and those are key to personal safety.  It's the solitary places that are high risk such as parking lots, apartments and cars. 
 
Class begins with a 10-minute warm-up of basic stretching.  Next comes the physical part of the curriculum, which takes up the majority of each session and focuses on ambush or surprise assaults, holding releases to escape a tight grip, and rape prevention skills. 
 
The first move I learn is the head shield.  Everyone has an instinct to flinch and raise their hands to their head, the body's command center, when under attack.  So we take the basic flinch response a step further and create a shield.  I bring my left elbow up, parallel with my eyes, and place my left hand on my left ear.  My right arm comes in front of my face, with my right hand pressed against my left elbow.  Not only does this better protect my head and neck but it puts me in an offensive versus defensive position. 
 
"At this point, you're able to attack the attacker," says Truscott, "creating an opening for escape.  Remember the attacker is bigger and stronger than you are so don't use muscle against muscle because I you're at a disadvantage.  Instead, you strategically strike his vulnerable areas like his eyes, nose, groin and neck."
 
Another instructor guides me through a mock attack scenario, using hand pads to hit me.  I have to rehearse the head shield several times.  For some reason, I expected fake hits but the instructor does apply pressure, which makes it realistic, but not harmful.  At this point, my innate desire to survive kicks in.  I want to inflict pain on this person who is trying to hurt me.
 
The last part of the class centers on mental and emotional conditioning, crucial skills needed to help prevent the assault in the first place.  First comes role-playing.  I'm to imagine being alone in a grocery store parking lot, holding bags and heading toward my car.  A man who offers to help approaches me.  I'm told to imagine that instead of continuing to my car, I should return to the store.  Second comes fear-management techniques, especially learning that fear is good.  In Gift of Fear by Gavin de Becker, the author interviews women who were attacked.  Most said they had a strange feeling before it happened.  The author writes, "Like every creature, you can know when you are in the presence of danger.  You have the gift of a brilliant internal guardian that stands ready to warn you of hazards and guide you through risky situations."
 
After class, I feel more confident and aware of my surroundings.  I remember what Chamberland said to me earlier:  "I could seriously hurt someone if I needed to.  But more importantly, I've learned to trust my gut feelings.  If something feels weird when I'm leaving the mall, I have no problem asking a security guard to walk me to my car."
 
The next RAD program runs from Jan. 14 - March 4, 2003.  Each class is two hours and is limited to 20 students.  Students are asked to wear comfortable clothes and athletic shoes.  The Austin Martial Arts Academy is located at 4615 Bee Cave Road.  The phone number is 327-2900.