It might be a surprise to hear a police officer saying that he pities a possible rape-attack suspect.

But after seeing what a woman could do to her attacker once she was correctly trained, University Police Services Officer Jack Quick said he pities any man who tries to assault such a woman.

Quick is one of three officers in the State College area who are now certified to act as an instructor of the Rape Aggression Defense course. A University police officer with Penn State for over 21 years, Quick said he felt that the course would be an excellent program at Penn State and signed up.

"I got really excited," he said. "It was something I really wanted to do."

Not just another martial arts self-defense course, Rape Aggression Defense is for the average woman who feels the need to protect herself sufficiently, but does not have very much time and money or exceptional skill and strength.

The RAD course was developed by Sherri Iachetta and Larry Nadeau of RAD Systems, Norfolk, Va., when they found how few viable self-defense options were available to women.

"The average woman doesn't have the time or the money to go through a full karate class," Iachetta said. "The techniques are very difficult and it's not easy to retain."

Quick said the RAD course is very basic while at the same time very effective. Women are taught how and when to use whatever weapons they have available to them at the time of their attack, be it nothing more than their hands, feet or even their memory. The emphasis is on awareness and teaching women to notice and avoid dangerous situations.

"(It) isn't designed to teach a woman how to stand there and beat a guy to death," Quick said.

Quick said there was "no doubt in (his) mind" that RAD was effective.

RAD, which takes a minimum of nine hours to complete, is currently offered on over 72 campuses in 10 states and will soon be available here at Penn State.

Tom Harmon, University police director, said everyone involved is excited and willing to do whatever is necessary to set up classes.

As for exactly how RAD will be set up here at the University, Delmar Woodring, a University police supervisor, said University officials are still "in the process of conceptualizing (their) approach to it."

But Harmon believes a RAD course, taught in three, three-hour sessions, could begin as early as the week after spring break. He feels the sooner women can learn to adequately protect themselves, the better.