Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) systems is a self-defense network run primarily by cops serving different demographics. Each demographic is provided a different curriculum. RAD certifies instructors in three day courses, and provides armor so instructors can simulate attacks on female students. 

RAD programs appears on universities all over the United States and Canada. Here is a promotional video for the Virginia Tech implementation.

The RAD program on Kennesaw State University (KSU) and in Georgia is directed by SGT Trudi Vaughan. KSU implemented RAD for Men (RFM) in 2012, ten years after implementing RAD for Women in 2002. The time gap could be explained away as a lack of demand on the part of men, but Title IX responsibilities prohibit KSU from making that excuse.

However, RAD for Men is not “Rape Aggression Defense for Men.” Instead, it is “Resisting Aggression with Defense for Men.” RFM does not present itself as a rape aggression course for men at KSU.

Vaughan’s statements on RFM in the KSU paper, The Sentinel  drop hints about RFM’s content:

It focuses a lot on what your responsibilities are as a man […] When women say ‘no,’ it doesn’t mean ‘no until you talk me into it’; it means no. […] Typically males are raised to always stand up and fight […] The whole educational aspect of this is letting them know that it’s okay to make a better choice, a better decision.

What “responsibilities,” and why the finger-wagging?

Aggressors can be men or women but are always called the “RAD Man” (see above).

I approached KSU Security on January 3rd with requests for appointments, but I did not get Trudi Vaughan’s card until February 5th. During January, KSU Security sent me to a David Arnold in University Relations (UR). Since I said I was from A Voice For Men (which I admitted had lots of readers), Security said I needed to go through UR.

A Lieutenant B. Haynes did not follow up with her offer of an appointment after my time with UR, which forced me to visit KSU Security in person several times until I got Vaughan’s contact information. I captured audio recordings of two of my four security visits.

Once I got in touch with Vaughan, she provided good answers to the wrong questions, vague answers to the right questions, or no answers at all. While Vaughan did attempt to tell me about RFM, her account was comparable to promotional language used to advertise the course in different colleges. In fact, compare the first paragraph from one of her emails (which you can download at the bottom of this article)…

The Resisting Aggression with Defense is a comprehensive course for men designed to raise awareness of the impact of aggressive behavior, recognize how aggressive behavior impacts participants’ lives, encourage participants to take steps to avoid aggressive behavior, and to look at how individuals can be part of reducing aggression and violence.  Each participant will explore resisting aggression, while progressing on to the basics of hands-on defense training.

…With the first paragraph of RAD for Men by Boston College. Differences have been bolded:

The Resisting Aggression with Defense (R.A.D.) is a FREE comprehensive course for men only, designed to raise awareness of the impact of aggressive behavior, recognize how aggressive behavior impacts participants’ lives, encourage participants to take steps to avoid aggressive behavior, and to look at how individuals can be part of reducing aggression and violence.  Each participant will explore resisting aggression, while progressing on to the basics of hands-on defense training.

Vaughan removed “FREE,” “only,” and “(R.A.D.)” and added a “The.” The one RFM email blast on KSU last year said that male KSU students may attend for free, so why does Vaughan chose to remove two words that are consistent with the promotion from an obviously duplicated paragraph?

KSU charges non-students for enrolling in any RAD program. It is possible that Boston College can afford to provide RFM for free to everyone, but it is not clear if that is the case. I honestly don’t know why the words “FREE” and “only” were removed. All I can say is that it does not make me any less suspicious.

I pressed for more information, and Vaughan invited me to RFM. No RFM classes on KSU are scheduled at the time of this writing. Vaughan claims this is due to a lack of space that was previously available to her. While I am fine with enrolling in RFM to see what is offered, questions like “What are the specific responsibilities RFM teaches men?” are simple enough that I do not need to do so.

For that reason, I persisted with my questions and asked to meet for an appointment.

Vaughan was so reserved that I roped in David Arnold and KSU Police Chief Roger Stearns. Vaughan caved and said that she could not answer because the information I wanted was in a copyrighted manual. I need to enroll in an unavailable class to get answers. From an email:

The organization that certifies our instructors requires that students enroll in the program in order to get the copyrighted reference manual and any specific information in the manual.

I am a student of a state university that pays for RAD to even be on KSU. Asking a question for noncommercial, informative purposes without explicitly requesting copied course material would not be copyright infringement.

I called RAD Systems and got the same response. Thankfully, the woman on the other end openly acknowledged that women rape when I told her about the “RAD Man” title being applied to both men and women on KSU. She also stressed that responsibility was geared toward personal safety and not toward risking one’s life to ensure safety for others.

Although RAD Systems hustles money with the “rapist-in-the-bushes” scare, the call made RAD Systems seem purple-pill.

Therefore, Vaughan and KSU are more concerning as of now.

What Was Said?

Download the correspondence files and try to digest how much time and effort went to simply get questions answered. Although the EML files are few in number, they store conversations months in the making. Note that sensitive contact information was removed from the emails. You can view the EML files in Thunderbird, Outlook or some other email client.

Now What?

My next contact is RFM’s Anthony Solano, a Susan B. Anthony grant recipient. I am not pursuing Solano until the after my open records request with KSU’s Legal department.

I requested all available RAD records, which turned out to have a $500 fee. I’m meeting KSU Asst. Legal Counsel Reggie Lampkin this Tuesday to negotiate record retrieval and to assert my rights.

Also, I am now looking for male students who took RFM so I can learn of their experiences.

In the meantime, I could use your help.

What can we do?

Correspondence with KSU Security started in January. Correspondence with Vaughan started in February. Correspondence with legal council started in March.

All because KSU Security fears questions.

Why the biased promotion? Why the evasive pedantry?

I’d get these answers myself, but I am too wrapped up in red tape to do so without your help.

Vaughan’s contact information is public, so ask her questions by calling (770) 595-4418 (You may have to leave a voicemail). If Vaughan goes dark, try RAD HQ at (225) 791-4430. If you call RAD Systems, be sure to mention Vaughan’s conduct. 

Skype Premium users in one-party consent states should grab MP3 Skype Recorder or Free Video Call Recorder for Skype and capture the conversation (both tools are easy to learn and use). Be sure to speak for yourself as a concerned citizen.

Do not assume others will call. Take a few minutes to see what you can learn.

Once you are finished, tell us about your experience by commenting below. If you have a recording with private information, email me at sage@avoiceformen.com and I will bleep it out so that the recording is publishable.

What’s in it for us?

Intel.

What we learn helps MHRAs make informed decisions in a university setting.  By learning about RAD, we open new avenues for collegiate men’s rights organizations.

Given the lack of detailed information, we cannot draw many conclusions. We need answers first. Be sure to avoid conjecture, and don’t pass any judgements until evidence is obtained.

If you don’t know what to ask Vaughan, here are some suggestions:

• “What are the specific responsibilities RFM teaches men?”
• “Can you elaborate on your statements in the Sentinel?” (read some examples)
• “How is answering a student’s or a taxpayer’s valid questions copyright infringement if the asker does not want your materials?”
• “Why did it take ten years for RAD for Men to be implemented alongside RAD for Women on KSU?” (Title IX violation?)

Vaughan, if you are reading this, know that we detest bullshit. Answer carefully.

We’ll be in touch.