Students concerned with personal safety on and off campus can learn how to protect themselves through a program at NIU next week.

A seminar teaching women how to protect themselves from dangerous situations will be held Oct. 21 at NIU, sponsored by State Representative David Wirsing, Students Organized Against Rape (SOAR) and University Resources For Women.

Although there will be information given on both preventing situations and self-defense techniques to get out of them, the seminar will focus more on the former.

“It’s a seminar more for self-protection than self defense,” said Debbie Doubler, Wirsing’s district office manager. “It will show how not to get into situations.”

Doubler said the seminar will show women how to avoid being in the wrong place at the wrong time, but also what to do if they are caught someplace. “In part it’s common sense, and also some good ideas on what not to do if you’re stuck someplace at night or alone.”

Wirsing’s office has been working on putting together this seminar for months. “We’ve been considering it since spring session ended, and spent the summer getting it organized,” Doubler said.

If the program is effective here, it may be brought to other communities, Doubler said. “We may possibly do this somewhere else if it’s successful on campus,” she said.

An assortment of people from the DeKalb community will speak at the seminar. “Bruce Borders from the DeKalb Police Department, State’s Attorney Mike Coghlan, Dave and Tracy Goodman from Kim’s Black Belt Academy and Kathy Guimond from the NIU Police will be there,” Doubler said.

The seminar takes place from 7 to 9 p.m. in DuSable Hall, room 120A.

“There is no charge, and everyone’s invited,” Doubler said. “It’s not strictly for college students.”