On Thursday, Oct. 15 UNIQUE Programs held a self-defense and personal safety event in the University Union Ballroom.

Nicole Snell, Girls Fight Back junior speaker, spoke about a time where she felt helpless. This prompted her to take self-defense classes.

“[I] learned that there are so many different things that you can do,” Snell said. “You have options, it helps to know that I have this, this and this I can try.”

Students Fight Back is an all gender-inclusive program based off Girls Fight Back, which was designed to help girls learn personal safety and self-defense as well as being active bystanders to create safer communities, according to the Girls Fight Back website.

The Sacramento State event was put on as part of the UNIQUE Programs, which was started back in 1978 as a Sac State volunteer group to bring innovative quality entertainment to campus. Students Fight Back is one of their many events.

“Students Fight Back was to bring awareness to the fact that women and girls need to have some self defense skills to help defend themselves in any situation necessary, “ Nichaele Watson, a UNIQUE Programs volunteer said.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice’s “National Crime Victimization Survey 1993-2013”, about 1/3 of female murder victims ages 12 or older were killed by an intimate partner and approximately 57 percent of survivors know their assailants, as stated on the Girls Fight Back Website.

“The most valued part of the program is teaching students to use their voice. If someone is invading your space you get to make a fuss,” Jessica Heskin, Sacramento State Victims Advocate said.

The Sac State victim advocate provides confidential-reporting and acts as a resource for the campus community. An advocate is available 24 hours a day to support victims of sexual harassment, sexual assault, domestic/dating violence and stalking.

“No one is responsible for a crime perpetrated against them,” Snell said.