The Office of Student Activities and Learning partnered with Chaminade Student Programming Boards for an exclusive two-hour class on how students can defend themselves in unsafe situations. This virtual Zoom meeting happened last week Friday from 4 p.m. – 6 p.m.

About 19 students attended the free self-defense demonstration led by mix-martial artists instructor Scott Ishihara. He has been training under instructor Burton Richardson since 1999. Right now, Ishihara also joined Richardson in instructing his JKD Unlimited MMA street program, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu program, and Battlefield Kali.

This free class was put together by Multimedia Specialists Jacqueline Martinez. This meeting was put together because she realizes students now are being attacked out in public, and she believes students at Chaminade should be better prepared against unsafe situations.

“I have family involved with both Jiu Jitsu and UFC fighting, so physical defense has always been a big part of my life,” said Martinez, whom is a second-year student at Chaminade University. “… I also thought it would be good to host this program right now because of all the assault and trafficking crimes happening in the world today.”

The Guam native, who was also raised by a family had experience in MMA and Jiu Jitsu, felt like it was always important to share some knowledge her family taught her growing up to her fellow classmates at Chaminade. She felt like this meeting was essential because too many people in Hawaii take for granted that these types of situations won’t happen to them. She is also majoring in Communications, and looks to graduate in 2024.

“When I asked some of my friends whom are from here about this topic, some of them didn’t believe that this could happen to them, even though they do believe that it does happen in the public,” Martinez said. “I feel that this way, people will be more prepared if a time comes when we have to whatever it takes to be better prepared in defending ourselves from being attacked.”

On Sept. 30, Honolulu Civil Beat webpage released an article saying crime in Honolulu this past year has been its worst since 1982. Of the 2,866 cases reported, only 735 of those cases have been cleared. Which means, roughly only 25 percent of these cases against rape, sexual assault, or child abuse have been properly convicted. This alone also explains that sometimes our local authorities can’t always protect us. We need to be more aware of our own surroundings  must prioritize teaching self-defense to our peers.

For more ways how you can get in touch with Scott Ishihara for some more self-defense lessons, check out his YouTube page at Scott Ishihara or email him at [email protected].