[Officer Dixon looks on as a student practices R.A.D. techniques on Officer Rogowski]
If you're looking for Officer Catherine Dixon, don't look too hard... you won't have to. Officer Dixon is also QCC's Community Outreach Coordinator and she can be found working hands-on with the students, staff and faculty on pretty much any given day.Officer Dixon recently held free training sessions on sexual assault awareness, domestic violence and risk reduction, as well as drug and alcohol awareness for our Gateway to College Students. Gateway to College is a program that helps 16-20 year old students who have either dropped out of high school or may not graduate.
Knowing that these (and all students) could benefit from learning skills that extend beyond the classroom, Officer Dixon put on a series of free sessions. The Gateway students participated in hands-on training and discussed judgement and mindfulness.
“We talked about the actual definitions and perceptions of Assault and Domestic Violence. We talked about the differences. We talked about fondling, touching, cat calls, slang words and consent,” Officer Dixon said. “We talked about being a bystander and how to be a good bystander.”In regards to drug and alcohol abuse and dependency, Officer Dixon has a way of getting her point across, using her words and some rather creative tools. To demonstrate what it’s like to be impaired, students and anyone else who cared to participate were given a chance to try Fatal Vision goggles. The goggles actually simulate impairment at six distinct intoxication levels.
“The googles deliver a memorable experience about the misuse and abuse of alcohol,” Officer Dixon added.
Participants put on the Fatal Vision goggles and were asked to walk a line, pour a drink, throw a ball and catch a ball. Those wearing the goggles showed impaired targeting skills, slower judgement, diminished focus, delayed reactions, reduced peripheral vision and a loss of balance and equilibrium.
“We walked through a day in a life of an addict and a day in the life of a family member and how it affects them and branches out to others and the community they live and work in,” Officer Dixon continued regarding the drug and alcohol awareness portion of the training.
Students also participated in a Rape Aggression Defense (R.A.D.) class. Officer Dixon taught the course alongside Becker Police Department Officer Cory Rogowski and Lt. Joe Bonczek. R.A.D. Systems of Self-Defense is a program of realistic, self-defense tactics and techniques. It's a comprehensive course for women that begins with awareness, prevention, risk education and avoidance, and progresses on to basics of hands-on defense training. The program (taught by certified instructors) is offered at college campuses and universities across the country.
Officer Dixon will be offering another Rape Aggression Defense Class in September. This is a 12-hour class that is broken up into four, three-hour days (Sept. 18, Sept. 20, Sept. 25 and Sept. 27 from 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.). The class is held at QCC’s Athletic Center basketball court and is free to the QCC community. To register email Officer Dixon at cdixon@qcc.mass.eduor call 508.854.4221.