By Setarreh Massihzadegan
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

Elsbeth Falk was seemingly going about everyday business, taking money from an ATM, when she was approached by a large man covered in a suit of red padding. When he grabbed her, she swung around, struck his head, and writhed free of his grip, yelling, “NO!” in a voice much larger than she.

As Falk ran off, her audience in Linden Ponds’ personal training room cheered and applauded.

As a brave graduate of R.A.D. Systems, a government-funded self-defense  course for women of all ages, Falk knew how to handle her “aggressor,” R.A.D. instructor and Hingham police officer Tom Ford.

This spring Falk, Mia Kusumadilaga, and Dorothy Murray, who live at Linden Ponds, learned how to defend themselves in the presence of an attacker, and more importantly, to avoid a dangerous situation in the first place.

During the free eight-week course, Ford, with help from Linden Ponds Fitness Specialist and certified R.A.D. instructor Kathleen Weaver, prepared the women for the final test—two days of simulated run-ins with an “attacker.”

“It really gives you a feeling of empowerment,” says Kusumadilaga, who  decided to take the course because she often uses Boston’s public transportation. Since completing the class, she reports having greater awareness of her surroundings. “The most important [thing] is to project a sense of power and not of being the victim, just projecting a sense of fearlessness,” she adds.

Preventing danger
Those who participated in the course learned techniques to keep themselves protected that were both practical and preventive.

For example, Ford says you should always know your surroundings and have a plan of action. If you’re walking to your car in an empty parking lot, have your keys ready and know where your cell phone is. Ask yourself: Where can I run if I need to?