SAFE ON CAMPUS
Gerri Willever Teaches Teens & Others To Be Prepared by EF&EG Staff – 9/2006-
What makes one person a victim and someone else not? Gerri Willever answers these questions and more in her books and interactive workshops on personal safety for all ages. As a 3rd Degree black-belt, a certified rape prevention instructor, and former FBI agent, Willever combined her love of working with children and the lessons she learned in the martial arts to empower teens, kids and adults in staying safe. She has presented training for schools, Scout Troops, Senior Centers, and various community forums. Gerri is co-owner and a chief instructor of the American Karate Institute, Inc. and founder of Safe from Strangers, LLC. She received the OWL Award from Princeton University for her work on personal safety.
Safety on Campus (SOC)
Willever’s newest workshop, Safety on Campus, is for high school senior girls preparing to live away at college, and for young women already residing on a college campus. “The goal is to heighten their awareness and discover abilities to defend themselves if necessary,” says Willever. Following discussions of personal safety issues on campus, in the dorm, at parties, students are taught some basic self-defense moves. “The girls learn about verbal responses as well as physical moves to prevent a problem from escalating.” The program is flexible, to suit students’ needs, and lasts approximately two hours. The SOC program has been conducted for colleges including Princeton University and for Senior High girls preparing to live on campus. Each workshop is informative and fun, according to Willever, as participants gain the knowledge to be safe and secure in today’s world. She says a martial arts background is not required to learn these awareness and safety strategies.
Safe From Strangers
Effective and practical strategies to prevent a possible abduction are presented in her book “Safe from Strangers.” Throughout the book appear “Kid-Tips” suggesting common sense advice, such as “Kid Tip # 7 “ThereÕs Safety in Numbers.” This simple-to-read book offers parents and children skills to live securely in today’s world. The book retails for $5.95 plus tax and shipping. Willever offers a Safe from Strangers workshop for children ages 5-12. The goal is to increase children’s awareness of their surroundings and to teach them to listen to their inner feelings about a potential threat, not just from a stranger, but other people they may know as well. The seminar teaches children what to do in the event of a possible abduction. Using nonthreatening techniques, children have the opportunity to role-play with an instructor in realistic scenarios and gain practical and effective self-defense strategies to maintain personal safety. The program reinforces the concepts presented in the book.
PERSONAL Safety for Adults
Willever also offers workshops for adults to prevent the possibilities of becoming a victim. “They learn common sense ideas important for personal safety in today’s world,” states Willever. “I share lessons from martial arts and connect it to everyday lifestyles.” Easy to learn basic self-defense moves are shown. Safe and Secure Seniors is another program that gives older adults knowledge on how to be safe while at home, on the computer, or just around the town. It heightens awareness about identity theft, potential frauds, and other crimes.
Gerri Willever can be reached at 609.586.4073 gwillever@yahoo.com.
