As his attacker advanced, University Police Department Capt. Michael Glaubach shoved a finger into the assailant’s ear and thrusted the attacker’s head backwards.

As the assailant fell back, Glaubach stopped to explain how this simple move could help women stave off a sexual assault.

Glaubach taught six women techniques to prevent attacks in a three-hour lesson Tuesday evening. The class is part of a new UPD program called SHARP – Sexual Harassment and Rape Prevention – designed to prepare students to defend themselves if assaulted.

“In these classes, our primary goal is not to fight toe-to-toe, but rather to give them the tools to defend,” Glaubach said.

Glaubach – who has taught self-defense classes for 18 years – and his two assistants, special police officer Angela Galli and security officer John Pruitt, instructed students on basic offensive stances, strikes and blocks, as well as defensive techniques such as wrist releases, but focused the class on increasing situational awareness.

“I cannot turn you into ninjas,” Glaubach said. “I cannot teach you to be Jackie Chan. But I can give you the awareness to defend yourself.”

Erin Harpine, the coordinator of victim services and educational initiatives with UPD and the primary manager of SHARP, said the program is having difficulties reaching out to students. Including regularly scheduled self-defense classes, she said, the program has seen slightly more than 70 participants since September.

“We at GWPD would like to continue to see the program attract more participants,” she said in an e-mail.

Lauren Campbell, a freshman, said she was taking the class for a second time because she wanted to make sure she would be ready to defend herself if she ever needed to. She said the class was a positive experience.

“It’s a really fun course,” Campbell said. “And the people who teach it are awesome. Not to mention you get to hit police officers. What could be wrong with that?”